Just nine more days till Myanmar and my excitement is ratcheting up at an unhealthy pace. It leapt several notches rereading Josceline Dimbleby’s sublime cookbook-come-travel-memoir Orchards in the Oasis.
Orchards… is one of those rare, perfectly pitched books that is as practical as it is beautiful; as useful as it is emotionally satisfying. A chronological and geographical tour of a life, it invites you to sample Josceline’s memories – and recipes – from a peripatetic life taking in Syria, England, Turkey, America, India and Burma, among others.
Interviewing Jossy in advance of the Irrawaddy Literary Festival, where she is one of the featured authors, I learned the book’s gorgeous photos represent a fraction of her collection. A deep shelf in her cosy West London living room holds sturdy bound volumes — two-handers — that chronicle her life and travels. The images in this gallery are a sampling of her personal photos of previous trips to Burma. Enjoy!
This slideshow requires JavaScript.