Vélochef by Henrik Orre
$39.99
Though this cookbook is subtitled “Food for training and competition”, it offers delicious and interesting recipes, perfect for any long ride. Forget packing revolting gels, spend half an hour the night before to make a rice bar (p76) or mix yourself a date and lemon drink (p72).
Henrik Orre is a top Norwegian chef who feeds Team Sky during the racing season. He has cycling pedigree too, with his father involved in the Norwegian Olympic cycling team during the 70s and his brother, a Norwegian Junior Champion time trialist.
There’s thought here about the balance of carbs and protein necessary for fueling the riding life, but Orre’s focus, he says, is the same as in his restaurant; to create enticing food that people look forward to eating.
Standout recipes for me were the ones for tasty transportable snacks: rye and hazelnut scones, date slice and buckwheat waffles with banana and almond filling—that’s some trail food I can’t wait to pull out of my pannier one day to the delight of fellow riders!
But there are mouth-watering breakfast, lunch, dinner and dessert options throughout and although they are interesting recipes, they don’t demand terribly wacky ingredients—you’d find everything you need at any decent-sized food shop. Eggs feature prominently, along with salmon, for protein. Dates, bananas and fruit are used extensively for natural sweetening. Orre also emphasises fresh herbs for flavouring and coarser flours such as rye, almond meal and buckwheat. I felt healthier after just browsing the pages.
It’s reassuring that the recipes have passed road testing with the Sky guys. For instance, breakfast is a vital fueling stage but if you find muesli too hard to digest, Orre describes how to soak it overnight to soften it for the morning. Similarly, the banana bread is described as “easy to eat when the pulse is high”.
Accompanied by sumptuous photos with a strong bike theme by Patrik Engström and genuinely interesting profiles of Edvald Boasson Hagen, Emma Johansson and Richie Porte in their own kitchens, this is an elegant gift for a riding enthusiast with a love of good food.
Review by Simon Vincett
For stockist, see Hardie Grant
Rating 95%
Being a book, this product is not rated according to our usual categories