Succulent River Cuisine

Every now and then a book with a snazzy cover or title catches my eye! The library recently purchased The Paddling Chef: A Cookbook for Canoeists, Kayakers and Rafters, by Dian Weimer. Being a canoe and kayaker myself, I was intrigued when this book was cataloged and made available for checkout. The author was born and raised in Vancouver, and is a big fan of adventure kayaking, which she does all over Canada. Whether you are an experienced paddler, or strictly a beginner, you will love this book! In a friendly, non-nonsense manner, Weimer explains how to plan your menus, whether you are taking a two-day or a seven-day trip, and how to organize your food in dry bags (pack the frozen meat on the bottom and place the cheese on top of it so it will stay cool as the meat unfreezes) or in plastic tubs. She also gives great tips on how to pack your items so that your veggies receive the least amount of bruising and you don't have to empty your whole pack each time you make a meal. The best part of the book are the recipes included: from meat to pasta to vegetable and dairy recipes, the recipes range from easy to hard and include helpful advice about how many pans or pots you need to prepare the recipe. I especially enjoyed the dessert and saucy companions recipe sections. I agree with Weimer--the right sauce can cover up any mistakes made by overcooking your meat on a camp stove you can't regulate properly! Weimer also includes a section on drying food for longer trips and several anecdotes about disasters and successful meals she has prepared on her paddling trips. This is a great book for any paddling or camping enthusiast!