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stuff for the ill-equipped condo kitchen


Darienne

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McAuleys are hitting the road again. Moab, Utah for 6 weeks. An economy condo with a little inadequately equipped kitchen. . Stove with ¾ oven, coffee maker and microwave. Some ‘stuff’.

What should I take with me? We do have quite a lot of room in our full-sized van and Ed has built a platform which is high enough to stash a lot of the largish Rubbermaid containers underneath it, but we still have a lot of stuff we have to take. We have two large dogs with special needs for one thing. We’ll be there in hot – medium – cold weather. And it will be cold on the way home. We need boots. A small gazebo and a power pak for the desert. And a set of Ikea bookcases to set up. OK. You get the idea. We travel heavy.

I am taking:

- Trudeau spatulas

- marble & lolly sticks, molds, coloring, flavorings

- dipping forks, scrapers, etc.

- ice cream machine

- new read-out thermometer (love it to pieces)

- a pot & a pan with lids (can’t wreck their pots)

- small crock pot

- tiny food processor

- silicone mats

- blender

- hand mixer

- fridge magnets

- cooling racks (there are none)

- toaster oven…use it on the road

- Chinese tea pot & cups

- Joy of Cooking (paperback) plus an assortment of my own printed sheets. They have a good selection of cookbooks in the local library.

- dishes and cutlery and stuff we use on the road (they have dishes and cutlery for 6).

Will take couverture…well, at least the 70% stuff. But mostly I make ‘candy’ and cookies and stuff to decorate for the kids in the Multicultural Center. I am the “Candy Lady”. I love it.

Can use disposable aluminum cookie sheets, roaster pans, etc for some stuff.

Will buy new mise bowls in Grand Junction which are microwaveable. You can’t buy anything in Moab. Nothing. Nichts. Nada.

I love my mixing bowls, but they are bulky. I’m leaving the tempering machine at home. I love my own pots and pans. No way.

I need some input. Thanks.

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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Ikea bookcases :)

The solid wood sort, or the wire sort? I've often thought that a wire shelf would be useful, as it can also do the job of a drying rack.

For extended stays, I would recommend taking

Tongs

Thermal carafe

Parchment paper (the costco size roll is probably MUCH cheaper than the Moab grocery store ones)

Heavy foil (ditto)

Ziplok bags of various sizes

Mesh laundry bags...

oven mitts if you use them

lingerie hanger, you know, those round hanging thingies with clips on the end. Useful for towels, bags and, occasionally, laundry.

Karen Dar Woon

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Ikea bookcases :)

The solid wood sort, or the wire sort? I've often thought that a wire shelf would be useful, as it can also do the job of a drying rack. SOLID WOOD SHELVES

For extended stays, I would recommend taking

Tongs good

Thermal carafe have a large thermos

Parchment paper (the costco size roll is probably MUCH cheaper than the Moab grocery store ones)good

Heavy foil (ditto)already take for travel

Ziplok bags of various sizes already take

Mesh laundry bags... already take

oven mitts if you use them good

lingerie hanger, you know, those round hanging thingies with clips on the end. Useful for towels, bags and, occasionally, laundry. ??

We are not new to travel...just to staying in a condo. Last time we rented a house in Moab for 6 months and equipped it from garage sales and second hand stores. And then sold it all at the end.

This is more a sort of what am I going to be sorry that I did not take and what should I just leave behind?

Thanks. :smile:

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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KNIVES! You KNOW what you have, any guess as to what they do? :unsure:

Sorry. Bear of little brain. I had listed on my original list:

- MY knife

- HIS knife

- paring knives (yes I use them all the time)

I think we'll just have to skip the bread knife, boning knife, et al.

Oh yes, HIS cleaver to whack the dog's food.

- and cutting board: vegetable, meat & dog meat

Thanks.

A photo of the kitchen PSE2kit.jpg

Edited by Darienne (log)

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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KNIVES! You KNOW what you have, any guess as to what they do? :unsure:

Sorry. Bear of little brain. I had listed on my original list:

- MY knife

- HIS knife

- paring knives (yes I use them all the time)

I think we'll just have to skip the bread knife, boning knife, et al.

Oh yes, HIS cleaver to whack the dog's food.

- and cutting board: vegetable, meat & dog meat

Thanks.

A photo of the kitchen PSE2kit.jpg

If you skip bringing them, you'll wish you hadn't! (Skipped them, I mean) Just experience talking, here! :wink: (Bolding added for emphasis...)

"Commit random acts of senseless kindness"

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I think we'll just have to skip the bread knife, boning knife, et al.

If you skip bringing them, you'll wish you hadn't! (Skipped them, I mean) Just experience talking, here! :wink: (Bolding added for emphasis...)

Hmmmm :hmmm: (love that little face) You could be right. However, I do have a friend in Moab who doesn't live too far away...my former landlady/next door neighbor/friend of our 6 month stay, and she could lend me some stuff. She did before. She's the one who volunteers at the Multicultural Center where I provide the goodies for the kids.

I have to be ruthless which is very hard to do. As you implied...it's horrible cooking without stuff you normally use. Having no dishwasher is not a lot of fun either. Boy, are we spoiled. :raz:

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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I think you have it pretty well covered. This might be of no particular help but I find chop sticks to be a helpful cooking/baking tool esp if your stuck with non-stick pans.

Can I ask what brings you to Moab? From the google map pics it looks incredibly beautiful. (Did I just answer my question?)

That wasn't chicken

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Short answer: it's incredibly beautiful.

Long answer: I'll PM you if you like. It's a long story...aren't they all?

As for the pans, non-stick or otherwise. I don't know if I'll be able to find out what is there any better than I have to date. Therein lies my quandary.

A tiny food processor and a small crockpot are not really what I want. But their large siblings take up a honking amount of room. And there are so many other items fighting for space.

Thanks.

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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A lot of booze. Buy it in Grand Junction, CO on the way. That's what the place is for.

And ice cube trays...who knows what's in the freezer. Good point

Brita pitcher and filter - who knows how the water tastes. Bad water = bad ice = bad coffee. Another good point.

Thanks.

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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most of the things i can't live without at the beach house have been suggested (tongs, knives, oven mitt/side towels). i need a good veg peeler to be happy in the kitchen. i also need some of my favorite spices from penzeys and sarah's salts, so i take those, too.

"Laughter is brightest where food is best."

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Author of The I Love Trader Joe's Cookbook ,The I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook and The I Love Trader Joe's Around the World Cookbook

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Personally, I would dump the small crock pot and substitute a Presto Kitchen Kettle (it might not be named that anymore). It's bigger, but other stuff can be transported inside of it. It can slow cook, sous vide, cook pasta, steam, and deep fry.

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Personally, I would dump the small crock pot and substitute a Presto Kitchen Kettle (it might not be named that anymore). It's bigger, but other stuff can be transported inside of it. It can slow cook, sous vide, cook pasta, steam, and deep fry.

Interesting. I had never even heard of one before this. I see that none is available at Amazon, but surely they are in kitchen stores???

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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most of the things i can't live without at the beach house have been suggested (tongs, knives, oven mitt/side towels). i need a good veg peeler to be happy in the kitchen. i also need some of my favorite spices from penzeys and sarah's salts, so i take those, too.

Peeler. Good. Might not have remembered that. Don't have either a Penzey's or Sarah's in my world.

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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Two things that don't take up much space that I've found indispensable in rental kitchens (in addition to what's already listed): a Microplane and a good pair of kitchen scissors.

Do you need both a blender and food processor? I have both at home, but in rentals I can usually make do with just a blender.

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Good: peeler. Have microplane listed. Good: scissors.

Blender/food processor. I'll think on it. I don't find them interchangeable completely.

Spices: nothing I can get at home I can't get there at their bulk food store.

Skillet/ hob. :raz: Hey! Why do you think we are in an economy condo? Besides. They are very reputable and I'll just take my chances. Thanks for the idea, though. :smile:

Another friend thought of funnels. And I remembered Canadian comet.

Also. My favorite storage container is not available in Canada, so I'll buy a bunch of them Stateside.

Also, also. This is turning out to be a big help.

Edited by Darienne (log)

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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Long answer: I'll PM you if you like. It's a long story...aren't they all?

That's alright, just curious. But who doesn't like a long story? Likely, many are curious now.

Did you/anyone suggest a food (cheese)grater?

That wasn't chicken

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Personally, I would dump the small crock pot and substitute a Presto Kitchen Kettle (it might not be named that anymore). It's bigger, but other stuff can be transported inside of it. It can slow cook, sous vide, cook pasta, steam, and deep fry.

Interesting. I had never even heard of one before this. I see that none is available at Amazon, but surely they are in kitchen stores???

Apparently, they did change the name to Presto Options Multicooker / Steamer. The Kitchen Kettle is still on WalMart's site. Looks like the new name will set you back about $5 more.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Presto-Options-Multi-Cooker-Steamer/11445797?findingMethod=rr

But then I just found this as well, which appears to be an upscale version of the same thing (I'd be a little suspicious of the wall thickness though)...

http://www.amazon.com/Presto-6020-Electric-Multi-Cooker-Stainless/dp/B0017UQB3C

I see Hamilton Beach is making a similar product that looks intriguing on first glance....

http://www.amazon.com/Hamilton-Beach-35136-Multicooker-Silver/dp/B000R8E8QM/ref=pd_sbs_k_4

For me, a key feature of the Kitchen Kettle is that it seems to be infinitely adjustable beneath the Warm setting (I've made marks on the dial with a Sharpie for sous vide). It could probably be set for 80F if you had a reason to do that.

You'd probably want to read the descriptions and reviews so you know what you're getting.

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A lot depends on what you eat. We for example would be lost without a salad spinner. For others it would be useless.

For extended travel where we have to equip a kitchen we generally roll with a cast-iron skillet, because you can cook most things in it, it's a better utensil that anything you'll find in a rental, and there's no harm done if you wreck it or lose it.

It's nice to have a couple of plastic cafeteria trays to carry things around on.

For all the knives, scissors, microplanes, turners, etc., it's nice to have a chef's "toolkit" so they're all in one place and you can just pick up and go.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
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Nope. No salad spinner for us.

Cast iron skillet. We have one. I have no intentions of using their pots or pans. One burn and you are replacing it.

Trays are good. Still we can buy stuff like that at the $ store.

We have a traveling knife case and everything we take with us goes in Rubbermaid containers. Blue for Ed's work, red for my work, turquoise for clothes...2 small bags for the overnight in the motel. And both pink kitchen containers come in. And the Coolatron. We are stuff heavy.

Darienne

 

learn, learn, learn...

 

We live in hope. 

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Steamer set like an asian steel one where the bottom doubles as a stew pot and you have multiple stacks of steamer levels.

Cast iron or other multi purpose skillet for sure.

Good cutting board.

Good wine glasses.

Tupperware. Never enough storage devices in a rental and bags don't always cut it.

Wok.

Oh and I love Moab. My brother and I went off season and hiked Arches and Canyonlands for two weeks. Stayed at that Days Inn just as you reach town from GJ with the hot tub yes! joined a local "club" so we could get a beer and ate at that pancake place on main street. Camped in Arches out by the Angel monolith.

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Swiss Army knife, if you have one. Mine does many things, not necessarily WELL, but does the job, nontheless. Just so nice and portable! Also, perhaps a Gerber (or similar) multitool, and a hammer (just because...) :wink: Have fun, send pictures... :laugh:

"Commit random acts of senseless kindness"

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