How to cook a cookbook into discomfort
Camp Fuego is the first outdoor cooking school in the Czech Republic. And their cookbook is not only full of recipes, but also smells of adventure and can be read almost as a manual for survival in nature. We are proud that it was created in our bookbinding kitchen.
We like strong stories. And Marco Pavala's Camp Fuego is a prime example of such an assignment. You will not find stoves or other sophisticated equipment in his kitchen. The basis is an open fire and often forgotten, sometimes even woodland cooking methods. The goal of traditional methods of preparation is a distinctive, unique taste, which expensive restaurants often do not achieve due to all this modern luxury. Cocktails are also original – even in the open air you don't have to stay with tea brewed on the fireplace. After three years of cooking in the wilderness, Marek approached us last autumn with the intention of publishing his first cookbook. He wanted it to defy all common standards. We report: Mission accomplished!
The cooperation with the Fuego team was exemplary. Although it was their first cookbook and book ever, they had a clear idea – just a proper bichle that would last like Gestalten publishing. So we agreed in our showroom on the materials and construction of the book basically right away. The first impression is made by the cover. In our case, boards of solid cardboard, coated with a brown shade of Brillianta canvas from Holland. Their dominant feature is the gold-embossed inscription Fuego, the outdoor touch is added by the print in the form of greasy imprints of the chef. Offset printing on a rough canvas is not a piece of cake, but colleagues from the printer, as well as the inner block, managed it perfectly. Thanks!
Just as the choice of ingredients is important for the taste of food, you can't just print a selected publication on some paper. That's why we chose Munken print, where the photos and beautifully processed graphics stood out perfectly. A bit of a challenge was the sewing of two transparent papers and the combination of Munken with coated paper, but we made sure. The pre-set and bookmark were chosen by the graphic designers from Fuego in red, which perfectly matches the focus of the recipes. Because it was a more demanding order, as usual, we made a complete mock-up for the client using final materials, including embossing, screen printing on a rough canvas and a digitally printed inner block.
We like a cookbook that resonates with nature and returns to cooking the joy of working in austere conditions in the open air. And it brings not only authenticity, but also quality and taste that surpasses many fine dining restaurants. We share a belief in the craft and energy of people who don't need teams of advisors or technology to deliver the result themselves. With us, it's true: roll up your sleeves and work hard!
