Galway Family’s Camping Cookbook Up For International Awards

A Galway family’s new camping cookbook has gained international recognition, as Camping Soul Food has been nominated for three categories at this year's Gourmand Awards!

Camping Soul Food, the bumper 64-meal cookbook (with a difference!) was written and tested out throughout 2020 by the Buggans family as they explored Ireland in their VW Camper Van. It has now been shortlisted at the Gourmand Awards, representing Ireland across three categories; Family, First and Self Published.

The Gourmand World Cookbook Awards were founded in 1995 by Edouard Cointreau. Every year, they honour the best food and wine books, printed or digital, as well as food television. In 2021 there will be 80 countries and regions represented.

Since publishing their book in May of this year, Camping Soul Food has sold close to 3,000 books and is stocked at independent retailers all over Ireland.

The book idea was born after countless family trips, which started out surviving on burgers and pasta-pesto! As Carrie, Mal and Easkey (The Buggans Family) got more experience on the road, they learned important hacks for cooking in limited space, prioritising the fridge to store beers and refreshments, and how much more enjoyable brilliant tunes are when you’re outdoors with tasty grub! That was the spark. What started out as a random collection of notes, scribbles and promises of “one day, we’ll write a book” has finally come to fruition, due in no small part to the year unlike any other that was 2020.

The dishes can be cooked anywhere that your adventures take you; it could be just the back yard or local park! All this food and music magic has been created by the Buggans family – a little family of three who love exploring in their campervan around Ireland.

"The response to our book has been amazing. For something we only made to create a memento for Easkey to now be nominated for three awards with the best in the business as well as representing Ireland, well that's a dream come true! We've just been letting the fact that we are authors sink in, now imagine how much craic we will have telling people we are recognised internationally for our tunes and food pairings! It is the best," explained Malachy 'I'm an Author' Duggan of Camping Soul Food.

To buy your copy check out Camping Soul Food's IndieGoGo page here or say Hi on The Social Medias @Facebook or @Instagram!

Photography by Julia Dunin