Italiano
I think it’s impossible to say how many cookbooks have been written over the centuries.
As far as I know, however, there has only been one written about cooking with a car engine.
The book is “Manifold Destiny: The One! The Only! Guide to Cooking on Your Car Engine!“, co-authored by Chris Maynard and Bill Scheller.
Said book, published in 1989, has had two further reprints (1998 and 2008).
This is because, as the authors explained:
“a new generation of readers deserves the right to learn the pleasures of car-engine cooking without spending more than the price of four gallons of gas”.
I sense the gas price was way cheaper back then…
Anyhoo… the idea is to season the food, wrap it in 3/4 layers of aluminum foil, and place it somewhere safe under the hood (there’s always the risk of losing it along the way, or having it chopped up by the cooling fan), start the engine and off you go… head to your destination!
Each recipe also gives you an indication of how many miles are needed for perfect cooking.
Unfortunately, you cannot control the process, except by pulling over (as common sense suggests). However, a good indication that cooking is complete is the smell that fills the passenger compartment.
The book is joyful, has comical undertones, and is fun to read.
But it is damn serious when it comes to recipes: it explains in detail the preparations, the cooking times, and even the ideal locations where to enjoy it.
And, in the latest edition, the authors have also allowed themselves a nod to environmental issues:
“Think of how much less guilty you’ll feel about your automotive contribution to global warming if, to use a lousy metaphor, you’re planting two feet at once in the same carbon footprint”.
In conclusion: if you plan to cook with “orthodox” professional equipment, just ask me for info!
