Cookbook Souvenir: Recipes from the Rim

As much as I love trying new things and seeing new places, I haven't traveled all that much. There were the obligatory family vacations while growing up (I think we visited Washington, DC four summers in a row), the jaunt up to Prince Edward Island in Canada when I was going through my Anne of Green Gables phase, and the epic backpacking tour through Europe that I went on with my sister when I was in high school. Nearly a decade later, I did find myself soaking in the sun (and getting the first major sunburn of my life) on the beaches of the Outer Banks, but most of the other traveling I've done appropriately falls under the category of "long weekends."

I was bitten by the travel bug back in May while on my trip out to Arizona. I absolutely loved the time I spent in Phoenix and our hike through the Grand Canyon was unlike anything I could ever describe. As we were checking out of the Maswick Lodge, I felt compelled to do a couple of laps around the gift shop in order to find a suitable souvenir, something to help me remember the experience other than the countless photos I took while on the trail. I didn't want a t-shirt or a hat or a coffee mug. I wanted something really spoke to the uniqueness of the area. That's when I discovered the corner of the shop with the local cookbooks. Bingo! What better way to remember a trip than with a cookbook containing a collection of recipes from that region?

Recipes from the Rim presents recipes from community members of the Grand Canyon National Park, including recipes contributed by the chefs from Phantom Ranch and El Tovar Hotel (where we ate our post-hike dinner). I haven't made any of the recipes yet, but I have a feeling I'll be cracking open that cookbook soon. I'm tired of the all of the salads I've been eating lately and think that preparing a dish (or two) from Recipes from the Rim might help me rekindle my desire to cook and to create new recipes of my own. I can't wait to get back into the kitchen to get started!

Just as soon as the heat wave breaks...

What type of souvenirs do you like to buy when traveling?

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