...it s time to drive on past the drive thru. is here, packed with recipes and inspiration!
Welcome to the world of VW Campers! Feast your eyes on the coolest cookbook around. The VW Camper Cookbook is here and it s packed with VW vans from all over the world on 162 inspirational pages, containing over 80 delicious recipes that are specially composed for cooking in a camper. Over the years old air-cooled Volkswagens from the 1950s through to the 70s have had a remarkable rise in popularity. The enthusiasts that enjoy these vehicles are as diverse as the cars they drive. Owners spend small fortunes restoring, rebuilding, modifying and customizing their vans. An industry of suppliers of parts and accessories has grown with the trend. In 2007 97% of all classic cars imported to the UK was a classic Volkswagen. Many specialist VW magazines are on offer today and feed the hungry, dreaming enthusiasts of the VW scene. The interest is bigger than ever today and the camper bus craze has crossed over into the public mainstream. The Original VW Camper Cookbook is a unique book of its kind. The book contains recipes for soups, starters, light bites, lunches, main courses, barbecues and desserts. The book shows you how to make it simple with easy to follow recipes that require little preparation. Of course it may also be handy in the boat, the summer house or in your trailer. Its design and inspirational pictures also make it a perfect gift or that cool odd coffee table book. This fall the book will continue to be backed up by advertising and reveiws in Volkswagen magazines all over the world as it has been during the Summer of 2008. Why Volkswagen? Without doubt the brand has played an important part in the history of car manufacturing. In the 1930s Ferdinand Porsche was given the task to construct a cheap car that everyone could own. The Volkswagen model 1 with its revolutionary air-cooled boxer motor was born in 1938. The Beetle was an instant success all over the world. In the 1950s the factory delivered the second revolution, Model 2 (AKA Transporter). The Volkswagen Bus was another huge success just as the Beetle had been twelve years before. It was the perfect transport solution with hundreds of variations. VW built models such as panel vans, people carriers, ambulances, police and fire vehicles and of course some were instantly converted to camper vans. The beloved camping bus created a whole new way of vacationing for people all over the world. The secret of the success of Volkswagen cars is not just innovation. Its design and reliability are also important factors. Almost every person has a connection to an old VW bus and a story to tell. Maybe about their summer vacation as a child or the wild festival trip during the college years. Like a child said to me: It looks friendly.
Enjoy the great outdoors in style! The idea was born over two years ago when professional chef and VW fanatic Steve Rooker and wife Suz Rooker came up with the idea of making a nice VW-cookbook. The pair had already owned over 20 different VW vans at that time and had been well bitten by the bug. I ve always been fascinated by the early Volkswagen buses, probably from the very first time I saw one. It s the laid back freedom vibe that they conjure up combined with something oddly cool about the lines. They decided that a book was called for, with recipes that could be easily prepared in a small VW camper kitchen and cooked on a gas stove or barbeque. Their passion for old Volkswagen vans had already rubbed off to almost all of the other family members, with Suz s brother and father owning VW buses as well as Steve s younger brother. So, talking about Volkswagens was not a new thing around the dinner table. Steve and Suz talked about the idea at a family dinner and it was here that the project really took off. Brother in-law Lelle listened to the idea and liked what he heard. The two Swedes and the Englishman then began work on the book and every family gathering now turned into more brainstorming cookbook sessions. They each contributed to the book in different ways. Steve brought twelve years of cooking knowledge to the team and of course his passion for Volkswagens. Suz brought her business savvy and planning skills to the group and Lelle happened to be an art director wizard with 20 years in the advertising business, not to mention very handy with a camera. The weekends on those two years were mostly filled with cookbook work. We all have full-time jobs and families so we would get together at weekends to work on the book. Steve and Lelle would visit shows and arrange small VW gatherings in order to get photos of cool buses in a camping environment. We travelled to shows in Sweden such as Bug Run and Buss Fest. In the UK we attended Van-Fest and some other smaller shows in 2006 and 2007. We have taken thousands of photos in search of making the book not only a cookbook but also an inspiration for people to really get out there and cook in their campers. We also corresponded with like minded van fans around the world who have made a big contribution to the story. Late in 2007 we realized we had enough quality material to begin the writing/layout stage. The recipes and text took time and getting the food pictures finished became a weekend ritual. The photo editing and graphic production took place in Lelle s office starting in November. After six months of long nights and weekends the book had become a real piece of eye candy. By the end of April we had a finished book to read through. The first edition of the book was printed in 5.000 hardback copies in May 2008. The book was released for sale on the 6th of June. www.vwcampercookbook.com
Press & blogs
We have 100% happy customers! Here are some replies to the question: where did you hear about our book? Good Evening, Thank you for sending me the book. I look foward to reciving it. I live in France but I heard about the book through the UK mag VolksWorld (my wife bought it for me when she was in london recently). I have a 1968 Kombi and I can t wait to try out some of the recipies on the road! Your website is also fantastic which really sealed the deal for me to buy the cook book. Thanks again Jean-Yves Ringue, France Hello, The VW Cookook just arrived in perfect condition. I ve had a quick look at it and it s wonderful, but I have to wait a month until my birthday. With regards, Rolf de Jong, Netherlands Read about the book in Volksworld Camper and Bus. Have now received the book and think it s excellent. What better combination than food and campervans! Hope you ve got volume 2 in the pipeline. Regards Peter, UK We received earlier this week your camper cookbook! Fantastic!! Great!! Wow! This is a nice innovation do You have a dealer programme? Can we distribute trough our network perhaps? Thanks in advance for your reply. Innovate, don t duplicate to keep your Vintage VW faith! Bob Van Heyst B.B.T.nv Belgium Hello! WOW - that was fast! Looking forward to receiving your book. I picked up a VW Camper magazine for my husband yesterday and saw the ad in that. We don t normally buy the Brit magazines, as they re quite expensive on this side of the pond. Glad we did this time though! Cheers, Cathy, US Hiya, Saw the feature on book in Volksworld camper & bus. Got to say looks great, got it for my husband who is massive vw enthusiast & cook... giving it to him as anniversary present. Thanks for quick delivery. Tracy Bailey, UK I received the book this morning, all I can say is VAN-TASTIC! I love it :o) What a brilliant idea, very well done. I am sure you will sell loads of copies, and I will certainly recommend it ;o) / Ruth, UK Hi there, Many thanks for the prompt service. The book is for a friend s birthday who is in the process of buying a camper and she just so happens to be a chef - so the book and camper go hand in hand! I came across the book on ebay originally when I was doing a search for camper gift ideas - then ran a google search and found your website. I am sure when word gets out this book will be a sought after item and a sell out - it s certainly filled a gap that s been in the market. I may have to treat myself to the book being a vw fan since the age of 16! Kind regards Amanda, UK Hello, thanks for the quick handling. I read a posting on our VCT2 forum about your cookbook. Compliments for the design, it looks great. I m planning to make the Gingerbreadbus for my birthday next month. Rolf, UK Your book was reviewed in the latest copy of VW Magazine Australia, as soon as we saw it we HAD to buy it. We cant wait to look through it and get cooking. Mandy & Geoff, Australia The book is here already, just had a quick look, what a brilliant idea. I don t know which is more mouthwatering the food or the vans. Absolutly fantastic well done! Many thanks Jim Drake, UK, We really like the book, so much so that I would like to buy two more as gifts. Do I place the order with you or through the website, and is there a discount? Duncan Wade, UK www.vwcampercookbook.com