One for the Road: A Tale of 12 Kitchens

by Kelly Amabile on

This cookbook gem came out last year but, I stumbled across some rave reviews recently, and thought it deserved a mention, especially as the holiday cooking season heats up! A Tale of 12 Kitchens: Family Cooking in Four Countries follows Jake Tilson on food adventures around the world, including stops in New York, Tuscany and Scotland.

Tilson used his artistic eye (he’s a photographer and painter) to create a one-of-a-kind “cookbook-cum-scrapbook” that doubles as a travel journal. Readers are invited into Tilson’s inner circle — his foodie family is a collection of colorful characters obsessed with cooking. In unique fashion, the book celebrates the possibilities of food, and the deeply personal aspects of communal meal preparation. The eighty recipes included in the book are gathered from all corners of the globe, but the real treasure of these kitchen tales is the original and refreshing way in which they are presented.

Tilson will appear in New York on December 5 as part of The James Beard Foundation’s Beard on Books series.

One for the Road: Maps – Finding Our Place in the World

by Kelly Amabile on

Since geography is a theme that will get extra notice this week, I went with a cartographic selection for today’s book. Maps: Finding Our Place in the World is a new book that accompanies the current exhibit of the same name at Chicago’s Field Museum.

The book introduces readers to a wide range of maps from different time periods and cultures, focusing on the specific functions that maps do and have done in the past. This comprehensive volume examines the history and uses of mapping from ancient through modern times, and is sure to be a treat for map lovers.

There is also an online collection of unusual maps that was created in conjunction with the book’s release: What is a Map? The first page of the feature includes a selection of unique journey-themed maps.

(via The Map Room)

One for the Road: The Practical Nomad

by Kelly Amabile on

Ed Hasbrouck is a seasoned world traveler and expert on international airfares and travel technology. His Practical Nomad website and blog are loaded with resources about passports and the latest on RFID chips, making changes to airline flights or tickets, and important facts about travel insurance. He learned the business during his 15 years working full-time as a travel agent. But Hasbrouck eventually became quite dissatisfied with the limitations of his job — specifically, the lack of resources available for do-it-yourself travelers.

So, back in 1997, he took what he knew and created a guide for independent travelers — Practical Nomad: How to Travel Around the World. The just released fourth edition of this valuable guide is an expanded version of the previous three, with advice on choosing destinations and tips on travel documents, entry requirements and luggage restrictions.

Hasbrouck truly is an authority when it comes to practical travel matters. And he has a resume of travel experience that backs up his book of advice. He’s currently on his third round-the-world journey, traveling with his partner, Ruth. According to a recent post on her blog, the couple is in Argentina right now, with another seven months on the road before they return. I’m sure they’ll gather more travel tips to include in future editions of the guide!

One for the Road: Where to Go When

by Kelly Amabile on

Here’s yet another big bound book full of ideas about when and where to set off on an adventure. The key word here is When. DK’s Eyewitness Travel has compiled Where to Go When: The Best Destinations All Year Round. Consultant Editor Joseph Rosendo and a team of travel experts have gathered photos and narrative descriptions for over 130 global destinations. The guide is organized by month, to help travelers focus on the best destinations for each season of the year.

Rosendo, Travelscope TV creator, will be at Distant Lands on December 3 and will appear in New York at the NYT Travel show next February. As far as weather goes, I’m pretty sure that New York does not (and should not!) appear in the “February” chapter of the book. But it’s one of the best places to promote a travel book during the cold winter months!

But is it even going to get cold this year? I digress…

One for the Road: Frommer’s Expands Guides for South America

by Kelly Amabile on

As travel to South America continues to grow in popularity, so do the guidebooks! Earlier this year Frommer’s released new versions of guides that were formerly combined in one book. Frommer’s Argentina and Frommer’s Chile & Easter Island are two first edition guidebooks, that were previously packaged together.

Both books are organized by regions, and include a practical planning section and a collection of suggested itineraries. Several must-do experiences recommended by the team of authors: try the tango (of course!), raft into Iguazu Falls (just 90 minutes from Buenos Aires), snowboard in the Andes, trek along Chile’s “Southern Highway” and fly to isolated Easter Island. There’s loads more included in these two new releases, so be sure to check them out if these popular destinations are possibilities for your future travel plans.