America’s national parks are filled with beauty, wonder, wildlife, and adventure–but many of them also feature grand lodge’s that offer exquisite culinary experiences. If you have ever enjoyed a popover at Jordan Pond House in Acadia National Park, or had a slice of Boysenberry Pie in Yosemite–then you know what we mean. Linda Ly’s new cookbook, The National Parks Cookbook, gives its readers a “food-driven tour” of America’s National Park Lodges from Acadia to Zion. This delightful cookbook features recipes from and inspired by America’s National Parks–so some of the recipes come directly from the parks themselves and others are Ly’s original recipes that are inspired by her time visiting them.
Ly is a former tent camper and current RV owner with a lifetime of experience in our country’s amazing national parks and she is also a master chef and cookbook author. So it is no surprise to us that she has delivered such an excellent book about the cuisine in our parks while simultaneously adding her own unique recipes to the mix.
All of these recipes look amazing ( there are over 75 of them) and also feature world-class photography by Ly’s husband Will Taylor. Together this husband and wife team are making some of the best outdoor cookbooks that are being published today.
The National Parks Cookbook is Linda Ly’s newest book, but her back catalog is definitely worth exploring. Linda appeared on the RV Atlas podcast last summer for an episode called “Quick Tips and Delicious Recipes for Dutch Oven Cooking” which you can read about or listen to right here. The tips and recipes from that blog post and podcast episode were pulled from The Backyard Fire Cookbook and The New Camp Cookbook–both modern classics for outdoor cooks.
To listen to Jeremy interview Lindy Ly about The National Parks Cookbook please click on the media player above–or subscribe to The RV Atlas podcast wherever you get your favorite shows.
What’s Inside The National Parks Cookbook
The National Parks Cookbook features a front section that includes kitchen essentials and know-how, a list of recommended tools, a list of commonly used ingredients from the recipes in the book, and concise descriptions of standards and techniques that are also used in may of the recipes. These sections really do help set the reader up for success before heading into the recipes.
There are four major sections of recipes in the book. The first section features recipes from each of the top ten most visited National Parks in the United States. In the podcast interview Linda discusses “Roosevelt Baked Beans” from Yellowstone National Park, and “Perfect Popovers” from Acadia National Park. The second section is packed with recipes from the National Parks of the American West. In our RV Atlas interview Linda discusses her “Shroom Jerky” inspired by Joshua Tree National Park, and the “Navajo Fry Bread” that is associated with Mesa Verde National Park.
The last two sections of the book are filled with recipes from the National Parks of the Midwest and East and from the National Parks of Alaska. The recipes she features from the Midwest and the East are the Mile-High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie from Shenandoah National Park and the Fried Fish and Fungi With Creole Sauce from Virgin Islands National Park. As you can see, The National Parks Cookbook really does cover our parks from coast to coast and from sea to shining sea.
The National Parks Cookbook ends with a delightful section filled with recipes from Alaska’s National Parks including Beef Kofta with Chermoula from Denali, and Wild Caught Copper River Red Salmon with Onion Gastrique from Wrangell-St. Elias.
Every inch of this book is beautiful and it is filled with delightful sidebars and historical and cultural introductions to each of the recipes.
If you are a National Parks lover you need to get this book.
If you are a foodie you need to get this book.
If you are a foodie and a National Park’s lover–your really need to get this book!
The National Parks Cookbook is a modern classic in the outdoor cooking category–and it is truly a unique and original book.
Now please excuse us while we try to recreate the Mile-High Blackberry Ice Cream Pie. We are so ready for a slice! If we can’t recreate it we may just head back to Shenandoah National Park for a slice. We want to try it that badly!
