Spices and Spandex – the travel cookbook

Posted on 9 April 2014

How far would you go to sample a new food experience? How does a 501 day culinary adventure across three continents sound? An epicurean journey down the length of the world, from London to Cape Town, on a hungry stomach. Now imagine doing it by bicycle.

Quite where the idea came from is still a fuzzy memory. Inflated bravado, mild inebriation and an unshakable youthful appetite for wanderlust all played their role. Initially, it sounded absurd. Two unfit guys on two bicycles. Strap some unneeded and overweight objects to the frames and then hit the road south. Chance, circumstance, and serendipity would surely take over from then on.

Another incredible ‘Home for the Night’. This abandoned bus shelter in Jordan next to the Dead Sea, proved to be one of our favourites. Cooking up a hearty warm meal was a priority and a joy at the end of every long day in the saddle. Photo by Tom Perkins

But from where to where? Why not a cross-continental culinary adventure from local pub to local pub? It sounded simple enough barring one slight logistical complication. One pub lay in a tiny rural village in Southern England. The other in the leafy suburbs of Africa’s most southerly metropolis, Cape Town. (Read a bit more about Tom and Matt’s decision to cycle from London to Cape Town.)

Tom and Matt – photo by Catherine Perkins

In between lay numerous mountain ranges and deserts. Extreme climates and inhospitable terrains (read about the adventure of crossing the border from Sudan into Ethiopia.) The Arab Spring in full force. The vast expanse of the African continent. 25 border posts and the infuriating inevitability of bureaucratic complications. Over 20,000km of road littered with unexpected adventure and opportunity. And all importantly, some of the richest, most diverse food cultures to be found anywhere in the world.

Ethiopian food and coffee culture in all its glory. Of all the countries we passed through Ethiopia remains a shining light. A culture so proud, so rich, so unique – it was exactly what we were searching for. Something that would completely push us out of our comfort zones. Photos by Tom Perkins and Dan Harrison

We started peddling. 501 days later we finished. We travelled unassisted. We had one tent, some ripped tarpaulins, and some battered old pots to cook in. Our bicycles became our vastly overladen homes, carrying every piece of equipment that would allow us to live a life on the side of the road. We broke down many times. We ate a lot. We drank a lot. We got ill a lot. I got run over by a car in Croatia, and then hit by a bus in Malawi. We were constantly greeted with incredible hospitality and generosity from complete strangers. Without this unconditional and unrelenting support we would never have been able to carry on.

Faces of Sudan. A people of great humility and kindness. Sudan exposed us to a level of generosity and welcome on an entirely unique level. A very special place along our journey. Photos by Tom Perkins and Yann Roth

As that journey ended another one began. The creation of this cookbook. Part travelogue, part recipe book; Spices & Spandex tells the story of our journey and the extraordinary culinary worlds in which we became immersed. For anyone interested in diverse global recipes, cultural studies, engaging travel writing and inspiring photography, or those drawn by the allure of unique unconventional adventure; then this book has something for them.

It is about the meals that sustained and excited us, and the incredible array of characters that taught us how to craft them. This book provides an opportunity to discover. An opportunity to begin your own culinary adventure.

Riding through the Balkans. Often we would come across whole villages deserted of any life. Shells of houses now fallen into disrepair and degradation. A vivid reminder of a dark, troublesome history. Photo by Tom Perkins

Gutting and cleaning in Dar es Salaam. Freshly caught tuna and calamari straight from the boat. The Indian Ocean providing a bounty of incredible seafood treats. Photo by Tom Perkins

 

Some sample food shots from the book. (clockwise from top left): Beef Tagine – Jordan. Chicken Pitas – Greece. Seared Tuna Salad – Tanzania. Crayfish Curry – Zanzibar. Photos by Tom Perkins

he Pyramids at Monroe, Northern Sudan. A mind blowing site. We had the place completely to ourselves, a true privilege to see such incredible feats of ancient human engineering so intimately. This picture was taken at midnight – using a long exposure and illuminated by the most brilliant of full moons. Photo by Tom Perkins

 

One of the most celebrated sporting events in Khartoum. Teams of wrestlers come together and grapple it out to see who comes out victorious. A great social occasion and celebration. The competition is fierce.

When the tarmac stops. ‘Off-roading’ with all this weight proved to be quite the physical challenge. Deep sand and corrugated roads are less then ideal. This is heading into the Western Desert, Egypt. Photo by Tom Perkins

Cycling through Albania. A country that we knew so little about, and one that blew us away from the moment we crossed the border. A place of exceptional natural beauty and people full of warmth and generosity. Photo by Tom Perkins

Frank – the motorbike and sidecar i bought from the backstreet of Khartoum, Sudan (whilst i was forced off the bicycle with a six month knee injury). I crossed 5 borders with Frank and had to push over 4 of them due to mechanical failures. Frank was in a terrible state from day one but generated such interest and interaction with every breakdown – people just wanted to help and help. This time we were pushing over the Sudanese/Ethiopian border. Photo by Matt Chennells

The motorbike pictured above, Frank, and I crossed 5 borders together. I had to push him over 4 of them due to mechanical failures. Frank was in a terrible state from day one but generated such interest and interaction with every breakdown – people just wanted to help and help. This time we were pushing over the Sudanese/Ethiopian border.

The White Desert, situated in Egypt’s larger Western Desert, is a spectacularly beautiful natural phenomenon. Our home for a few days. Camping under the stars, cooking over open coal. Just perfect. Photo by Tom Perkins

For more information about the journey and the cookbook visit the Nomadic Kitchen website, or the kickstarter page.






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