The loveliest books for water babies on how to surf, where to surf and (my favourite part) what to eat afterwards. Guaranteed to make you pull on some neoprene, grab your sex wax and head for the sea.
Nestled on the coast at Strandhill in northwest Ireland, looking out at the breaking swell, is Shells, Jane and Myles Lamberth’s cosy little surf cafe, whose popularity has inspired their brand new book. Impossible not to love on first sight, The Surf Cafe Cookbook’s beautiful pages stuffed with photography of beaches and baked goods, surf boards and seasonal cakes will instantly make it your new favourite go-to recipe collection. The recipe themselves are inspirational but very easy to make and include winter warmers like guinness and beef stew, campervan casserole and whisky pudding, backpacker-style pancake breakfasts (perfect nosh for after a dawnie), incredible veggie concoctions and zingy salads. Organised by titles like ‘first light’, ‘by the sea’ and ‘soul food’, I dare you not to feel simultaneously starving and desperate to pull on a wetsuit after a flick through its pages. The only problem? All the pictures of local beaches, hippie festivals and listings of where to stay and what to do in County Sligo will make you desperate to up sticks and move there NOW to spend your days running a little cafe a stone’s through from the Atlantic.
• The Surf Cafe Cookbook, (£17.99) by Jane and Myles Lambeth, is published by Orca Publications and is on sale now.
The new bible for surf-loving girls the world over has arrived. Produced by the salty geniuses behind Surf Girl magazine in association with Roxy, the go-to brand for water babies, The Surf Girl Handbook is like your new, wetsuit-ed, sun-creamed and super-smart best friend, ready to take you through everything from how to predict when the swell will hit and learn to pop up on your board to the best international surf destinations and tips to keep your hair from turning into a ball of frizz after too much sea salt. Stuffed with over 500 gorgeous glossy photos, mini interviews with top female surfers and outdoorsy lifestyle tips, it’s the perfect guide for girls who love getting out in the water but aren’t quite sure what the difference is between a mini mal and a fishtail, how to get ‘out back’ or what sex wax is for. Watch the trailer for the book below.
• The Surf Girl Handbook (£14.99) by Louise Searle, is published by Orca Publications and is on sale now.
