Obsessed with Food Trucks

Food trucks really hit their stride in Nova Scotia this last summer. We've always had our good old fashioned chip trucks, but this new generation of food truck usually highlights creatively prepared fusion food. While the cold November weather has cut down on the number of trucks out there, there are still a lot of books that can help feed your obsession!

The Truck Food Cookbook : 150 Recipes and Ramblings from America's Best Restaurants on Wheels by John T. Edge focuses on the creative fusion food like jerk pork sloppy joes and root vegetable jambalaya at food trucks across America. Edge is a roving food writer for the New York Times, and this book includes a lot of stories describing the food truck scenes across the US as well as recipes. I love connecting food with the place it comes from, and this is definitely a cookbook that will give you a lot to read! 

Street Food Diaries : Irresistible Recipes Inspired by the Street is another collection of stories and recipes written by Matt Basile, creator of the Toronto-based street-food brand Fidel Gastro's and the host of the reality TV show Rebel Without a Kitchen. "Matt's recipes are fun, outrageously delicious, and totally inspired by the most vibrant food movement on the planet. So, try your hand at making Peanut Butter Cookie Fish & Chips Sandwiches, Philly Cheesesteak Tostadas, Maple Habanero Turkey Wings, Pad Thai Fries, or the infamous Alabama Tailgaters. If it's on a stick, in a bun, or covered in bacon (a lot of bacon!) then it's in Street Food Diaries!" Publisher.

Eat St. : Recipes from the Tastiest, Messiest, and Most Irresistible Food Trucks brings together recipes from trucks featured on Food Network Canada's popular TV series Eat St. James Cunningham, a comedian who hosts the show, has joked that he must be the "first human being to write a cookbook who can't cook to save his life". "The Eat St. cookbook is packed full of eye-popping food photography and great snapshots of the trucks and personalities behind the mobile-truck food revolution that's sweeping the nation. It's the perfect TV tie-in companion cookbook for fans of the hottest food trend". Publisher.

For all of you who like your street food a little more authentic, Lonely Planet's The World's Best Street Food : Where to Find It and How to Make It is the book for you. This book's table of contents reads like a guide for the most famous street foods around the world: Banh Mi from Vietnam, Felafel from Israel, Lobster Rolls from Maine, Tamale from Mexico, and - (of course) Beaver Tails from Canada!  Recipes are introduced through headings that include "What is it", which explains the food, "Origin", which explains the cultural history of the dish, "Tasting", which describes a usual street food setting where you'd find the food, and "Finding it", which gives a typical Lonely Planet recommendation of where to search out this food. This is probably my favourite book of the bunch - the recipes seem pretty authentic and they lack the "more is more" vibe of the previous books.

Finally, if you're truly obssessed with food trucks, you may have dreamed about starting your own business. The Food Truck Handbook : Start, Grow, and Succeed in the Mobile Food Business by David Weber is just one of many books on starting a new food truck business. "From concept to gaining a loyal following to preventative maintenance on your equipment - this book covers it all. Includes profiles of successful food trucks, detailing their operations, profitability, and scalability. Establish best practices for operating your truck using one-of-a-kind templates for choosing vending locations, opening checklist, closing checklist, and more. Create a sound business plan complete with a reasonable budget and finding vendors you can trust; consider daily operations in detail from start to finish, and ultimately expand your business. Stay lean and profitable by avoiding the most common operating mistakes. Publisher.