Inspirations

On the Go in an Airstream: Outdoor Living with Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks

Camp Cooking

“if we’re not being pelted by rain, wind, or cold tempe 17
Above: “If we’re not being pelted by rain, wind, or cold temperatures, I’ll always choose cooking over the fire pit or on a picnic table to staying in,” says Heidi. “Here, I’m just using twigs and sticks. I’m always trying to get things going with a single match. Lol. That said, using a couple sticks of 100 percent natural fat wood is extremely helpful if it’s windy or damp.”

Admiring her dress? We were, too, and discovered Heidi sews her signature uniform herself: “Every year I make a number of dresses that I work in. Between cooking all the time, camping, and having a dog, I’m so hard on clothes. I’ve probably made five or six versions of this dress in different fabrics; I do a bit of a hack on this Vali Dress.

“camping gear on the cooking front can get out of hand fast, so i&# 18
Above: “Camping gear on the cooking front can get out of hand fast, so I’ve tried to wrangle what we bring to a reasonable amount that allows a range of deliciousness,” says Heidi. Shown here: A full-size ceramic Mushi Nabe donabe, $220, is one of her favorite on-the-road pots for making soups and stews, and, in this case, tamales.

The donabe is shown here on a grill over a campground fire pit, but Heidi often uses it on a single-burner Iwatani Rugged Camp Stove; $149.99. “When not in use, the donabe sits in the box it came in to protect it while we’re driving.” Also cooking over the fire in a de Buyer Blue Carbon Steel Frying Pan, $50: blistered vegetables to be served with a salsa negra (“it’s a version of Gabriela Cámara’s Salsa Negra from Kitchn”).

Archives

January 2025
December 2024
November 2024
October 2024
September 2024
August 2024
July 2024
June 2024
May 2024
April 2024