Dirty Dining: Book Review

EGLE GERULAITYTE

Have you ever considered sheep testicles for your dinner? What about a camel steak or an iguana BBQ? 

Lisa Thomas, a British motorcyclist and adventurer, has been riding round the world with her husband Simon for fourteen years now. So it’s no surprise that her new cookbook, Dirty Dining, is just as colorful and intriguing: packed with delicious recipes from around the world and generously seasoned with short travel stories from the most exotic locations on the planet, Dirty Dining will definitely inspire to explore both on the road and in the kitchen.

Although some recipes may be more difficult to replicate for the minimalist traveler (a few of them require more cooking utensils and ingredients than most people will carry on their bikes), Dirty Dining provides a whole new outlook on roadside cooking. If you’re tired of the old noodles and canned foods routine, Dirty Dining will provide great ideas for simple but yummy and nutritious meals on the road!

We had a chance to catch up with Lisa and Simon Thomas at Overland Expo in Flagstaff, Arizona recently.

Lisa, what’s your own favorite recipe?

My favorite for ‘on the road’ is my Spanish chicken recipe.  It’s full of flavor but also so easy to cook and the ingredients are simple!

How to make do in places like Mongolia or Central Asia where food is scarce? I’ve heard some horror stories about yak jerky and sheep testicles for dinner!

Oh no, they are not that terrible; sheep testicles are quite tasty when you are hungry!  Goat and mutton is plentiful and we both like it- so that’s good.  Camel is used in many dishes as well.  I have eaten it but never cooked it.   Camel meat items are available in many places in Mongolia but you have to make absolutely sure that its cooked properly otherwise it can give you terrible food poisoning – I speak from experience.

What’s your top roadside kitchen hack?

• I don’t carry dish washing soap with me (its almost impossible to rinse off properly without wasting valuable water); I use a salt scrub to remove stuck on food.

• Peeling garlic can be a sticky job, especially if you lack water with which to wash your hands and don’t carry one of those fancy silicone garlic peelers!  I smack the garlic clove with the flat side of my larger cutting knife and the skin just peels off easily without you having to pick at it!

• Wet wipes are a great anti-bacterial way of cleaning knives, forks, bowls and plates when water is scarce and you don’t want to take the smell of food into your bike, which may attract animals.

You cook…does Simon do the dishes?

Of course!   Its sharing of tasks that makes us a great team and probably one of the reasons we survive on the road so well.

Follow Lisa and Simon’s adventures: 2 Ride The World

And get your copy of Dirty Dining