Cooking With Intention by PinDrop® The Four-Day Overland Menu for the Historic el Camino del Diablo

This winter, PinDrop® founder Tim Elinski will lead a small overlanding media team across el Camino del Diablo. In keeping with the spirit of this historic trail, Tim designed a four‑day dinner menu meant to slow the pace of each evening and bring people together around simple, intentional meals, prepared in the PinDrop® galley kitchen honoring both tradition and Arizona.

El Camino del Diablo is an historic road shaped by time, endurance, and struggle. For thousands of years, this trail has been walked by Indigenous travelers, explorers, and migrants each leaving little behind. To move through this place is to slow down, to listen, and to travel with humility.

"This is a grim land and death dogs the footsteps of those who cross it."

This menu is inspired by the history of this sacred road. Prepared simply in the PinDrop® galley kitchen, each meal is paired with an Arizona wine and meant to be shared in reflection honoring the many journeys that came before, and the privilege of being present on the trail.

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What follows is a look at each night’s meal and pairing, designed to celebrate the day's end, Arizona winemakers, and the ritual of cooking well in remote places, thanks to the PinDrop® galley kitchen.

Day 1 — Rendezvous

Slow‑Braised Salmon with Paprika & Oregano | Wild Rice Paired with Bodega Pierce Sparkling Rosé

The opening night sets the tone for this epic journey. Gently braised salmon is finished with a paprika and oregano‑infused sauce, allowing warmth and smoke to build without overpowering the fish. Served over wild rice, this dish is a welcome meal after the first day of travel on the el Camino del Diablo.

Bodega Pierce’s Sparkling Rosé brings brightness and lift, cutting through the richness of the salmon while marking the start of the expedition with a celebratory note.

Day 2 — En la Frontera

Breaded Shrimp & Fish in Fresh Del Sol Corn Tortillas | Jalapeño Slaw

Paired with Château Tumbleweed Picpoul

Inspired by borderland flavors, this meal is hands‑on and communal. Lightly breaded shrimp and fish are tucked into warm Del Sol corn tortillas and finished with a crisp jalapeño slaw. It’s vibrant, textural, and made for sharing at camp.

The Tumbleweed Picpoul pairing adds clean acidity and minerality, echoing the freshness of the slaw and offering a refreshing contrast after a day spent under the desert sun.

Day 3 — Cabeza de Prieta

Low‑and‑Slow Pinto Beans | Dutch‑Oven Buttermilk Cornbread

Paired with Merkin Vineyards Grenache

This night leans into patience. Pinto beans are cooked slowly until rich and comforting, then spooned over golden buttermilk cornbread baked in a Dutch oven. It’s humble, deeply satisfying camp food. It's the kind of meal that feels timeless.

Merkin Vineyards Grenache brings warmth and depth, complementing the earthiness of the beans and the subtle sweetness of the cornbread. It’s a pairing made for quiet conversation around the fire.

Day 4 — Tinajas Altas

Orzo with Toasted Pine Nuts, Roasted Red Peppers, Kalamata Olives & Queso Fresco

Paired with Cove Mesa Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc

The final evening is bright and reflective. Orzo is tossed with toasted pine nuts, roasted red peppers, briny olives, and finished with queso fresco balancing richness with freshness.

Cove Mesa Sauvignon Blanc offers citrus and herbal notes that mirror the dish’s vibrancy, closing the journey on a lighter, celebratory note.

Cooking with Intention

Each of these meals is prepared in the extraordinary PinDrop® galley kitchen, an intentionally designed, fully outfitted space with both prep and cooking space which allows for thoughtful, well‑executed meals that nourish every adventure. On a trail as storied as el Camino del Diablo, the act of cooking becomes part of the journey itself: an intention, a gathering, a moment of gratitude.

This four‑day menu is about presence, honoring Arizona’s landscape, its history, its winemakers, it's people and the enduring power of good food in remarkable places.

Celebrating el Camino del Diablo - The People and The History

PinDrop® is grateful for the opportunity to experience el Camino del Diablo today, in a way shaped by careful preparation and modern comfort. The journey also serves as a moment to acknowledge those who traveled this same route under vastly different circumstances. Men, women, and families sought survival, opportunity, or a new beginning against unforgiving odds, often relying solely on the harsh desert environment and their own grit and hope for a safe passage. Their journeys—and the lives lost along this trail—remain an enduring part of its history and deserve to be remembered.