During the holiday season, truckers are under a lot of pressure, but there are also those who find time and space in the cabin to prepare meals for the holiday table. In order to cook simply and deliciously right in the cab of your truck, you need to buy some equipment, which you can read about here: https://www.hmdtrucking.com/blog/cooking-equipment-for-truck-drivers/.
Today, we are eager to share a unique and special look into how truckers are cooking this holiday season. We had the privilege of visiting Dina McKinney’s kitchen which is located in her semi-truck. This incredible space was full of flavor, warmth, and fine detail.
Upon entering the cozy area behind the front cab seats, we observed that it was only seven feet long, yet every type of spice lay in neat, clearly labeled glass jars on the walnut countertop. The classic white tile of the worktop shone warmly in the natural light, while her deep fryer and combination microwave rested closeby.
The other night, Dina pulled off the highway at a service lot and blended her ingredients for the evening: zucchini soup, complemented by the pungent notes of curry, celery, and onions. She arranged the mixture in her slow cooker and left it to cook slowly all day whilst she drove. It was a creative and most fitting way for this trucker to prepare for the holidays!
For the holiday, Ms. McKinney has formulated a plan of her own – one that brings a remarkable concoction of ingredients with her on the road. From her mini-fridge, she discovered a wheel of brie that she will wrap in puff pastry and bake. In addition, she will carefully season a turkey leg with rosemary and thyme, and use the jam to create a flavorful turkey breast on her butane stove. To finish it off, she even has a muffin mold for her homemade sweet potato soufflé.
Many truckers have resorted to cooking in their trucks, drawn by the necessity of eating healthier. The unique circumstances of truck living make it difficult to venture outside their compartments, so they have to get creative with food. Meals such as roasts, casseroles and sandwiches allow them the ingenuity to conjure something special while they serve their routes.
One trucker in particular, Margie Gilles of Virginia, experienced the everyday struggle of consuming fast food at rest stops. But through her tireless efforts, she has gradually improved her cooking skills over the past two years and prepared for a scrumptious holiday meal.
For Christmas, Tamra Fakhurian is determined to make a special meal in her truck; a special leg of lamb and eggplant casserole. In her usual festive fashion, she will park at a bus stop and play some cheerful holiday songs with her windows down so that other drivers can enjoy the holiday sounds too. Nothing pleases her more than to share her delicious food with anyone who wants it.
Although she is aware that celebrating New Year’s Eve in a truck is not the same as celebrating it at home with her nine beloved children, she hopes to make the evening as special as she can. She envisions a big table of meats, cheeses, and olives set up in the rider’s seat, standing in as a makeshift dining table. She will also suspend beautiful garlands around her bed and record some of her dreams and ambitions that she has for the year to come, hoping to one day finish those home improvement projects and finally get to travel to all those countries on her list.
Ms. Fakhurian is accustomed to cooking in her truck for any occasion, preparing filled peppers, spring rolls, and tandoori chicken. Disconcertingly, buying groceries for her meals can be challenging for truckers in the parking lot, which is why she grows her own mung beans in a box behind her driver’s seat and suspends pots of basil, mint, and chives in the window. Unfortunately, this endeavor was stopped short when some of her produce was confiscated by customs upon arrival back in the US.
As per James Wills, a driver from Tacoma, Washington, feeling lonely and depressed is a normal feeling among the trucker community during the holidays. When your friends and family post beautiful photos of home cooked feasts and gatherings on social media, it can be hard to accept your fate, being driving solo and all. Ms. Fakhurian, however, has found comfort in her passion of cooking and the comfort of her truck, despite the holiday blues.
Cooking Christmas dinner can help bring joy and comfort to this time of the year, he confidently confirmed. This year, he is looking forward to indulging in a delicious steak grilled on the George Foreman outside, if the weather permits, or, alternatively, cooked on a tray between the driver and passenger seat, enjoyed with a tasty gravy and mashed potatoes.
Mr. Wills began preparing meals in his truck’s cab some years back after he had a mild heart attack and decided to begin living a more healthy lifestyle. Despite the limited amount of space available, he still manages to carefully cut up and portion the meat and vegetables at home before storing them in the freezer located on the elevated bunk behind the driver and passenger seats until he’s ready to cook.
On the flip side, not all truckers opt for festive meals cooked by themselves. Ms. Fanjoy, a long-distance trucker from Moncton, New Brunswick, frequently searches for roadside rest stops that would serve Christmas dinner specially for truckers.
She believes that it provides truckers with a sense of family for the festive season, and each year she hangs up a stocking on the driver’s side window. On the eve of Christmas, Ms. Fanjoy enjoys a mug of hot chocolate, a soothing tradition that dates back to her family gatherings, while driving around her neighborhood, admiring the beautiful holiday lights.