What Do You Take Along?

[maggiethecat]

My usual destinations feature kitchens at least as well stocked as mine -- my son-in-law bought himself every edge Global makes, stored in the accompanying block. As I've mentioned before, my mother's freezer contains homemade veal stock, chicken stock, demi glace, soft bread crumbs, toasted bread crumbs... Grocery shopping in LA with my daughter is one of our chiefest pleasures--I guess acorns do fall close to their maternal oaks.

Our endless drive from Chicago to the parental home in Ottawa is more like a forced march, courtesy of my husband. We are allowed three gas stops: one is near Jackson, Michigan and includes a potty break and take out at Burger King. At London , Ontario, more gas and a soft drink. Near Kingston we bail for the facilities, gas and a nosh (anything will do at Tim Horton's. It's just about survival.) I am not so dead to shame as to compare this to Bataan, but at mile marker 800 I'm dreaming about the filet mignon topped with Roquefort Mummy has waiting.

When I travel for business, which is rare, I pack a swoon bottle of Scotch in my luggage, poured into a plastic travel cosmetic bottle. I also pack a corkscrew. I find brewing that dreadful coffee from the gauze wrapped discs in the bathroom coffeemaker makes me feel as if I'm roughing it -- having an adventure. The low quality caffiene helps me try to figure out the hair dryer bolted to the wall.

When it's air travel I abandon myself to airport food. At Midway, my preferred leaping off place, I buy a gyros to go, or a breakfast panini from an "Italian" coffee joint. When I unwrap them over Nebraska my poor aislemates moan. But always, in my tote, I have two bottles of water and a pack of Doublemint gum, along with a paperback thriller and every girlie fluff mag that I can haul.

Parenthetical note: Any pig pickin' attendee has had a chance to see the travelling kit of our esteemed Director of Operations. It's the biggest, reddest toolbox Sears sells, and contains knives, measures, gizmos and enough things with probes to launch an alien invasion. Closer to home, when ronnie_suburban or guajolate travel the thrirty-five miles to my house, he wheels out chest freezers that contain the culinary equivalents of Alladin's cave. These men know how to travel.

[srhcb]

So how about it, what do you take along?

Just some cash and my credit cards.

What is the weirdest, biggest, most interesting item you have taken with you?

←

A Guinea Pig and three mice traveled with me via auto and air from Minneapolis, to Albuquerque, to Los Angeles, to Spokane, and back to Minneapolis. In Albuquerque they lived in a closet at the Hilton Inn where I ordered them a salad with no dressing for dinner every night.

Have you ever had to leave any behind at customs?

No, but I spent an entire day going back and forth from the Hilton Inn to the Albuquerque Airport without ever being allowed to board a plane.

SB (it was rodent profiling, pure and simple)

[slo_ted]

Road trips within the state we travel relatively heavy. Coffee, venerable polypropylene percolator, canned milk, wine, fruit, crunchy snacks. Lots of bottled water. Also the usual tools-- Chefs knife, paring knife, utility knife, cork screw. Cheese is nice and I love some jalopeno and serrano peppers. We stuff all this stuff into the car. For airline advendures, we must pare it down severely. Some prepackaged snacks, fruit, peppers for accenting the food purchased on the fly. Oh, and some bottled water to wash it down.

[MissAmy]

Usually when I travel, it is for vacation, and as I don't really cook on vacation, I don't take that much. Diet Coke and snacks for car trips. My knives if I'm going to someone else's house where I know we'll be cooking. A gift of a cake or tart or similar goody if staying as a guest in someone's home.

I always seem to forget the wine key, and end up kicking myself.

When we lived in China, we were CONSTANTLY smuggling food stuffs into the country. You name it, it more than likely got brought in.

[Rebo]

When flying, I try to bring something yummy to snack on, like muffins, banana bread, and cold pasta, so that I'm not tempted to eat bad airport food. For vacations, my husband always brings tea bags (brews hot water in the coffee maker) and a wine key.

I do most of the cooking when we visit my parents, so I usually take a good, but thin cookbook, preferably with both tried and untried recipies (like a Cook's Illustrated annual) becuase I'll have time to experiment. I also bring baggies of the spices I know I'll use like bay leaves, cardamom, and cinnamon. I recently purchased good knives and will probably start traveling with one or two of those as well. My parents have always been dreadful and will now seem even worse!

[mizducky]

Depending on the trip involved, I've done everything from just bringing a credit card and trusting to fate, to equipping myself for a full week or more of car camping.

Typical camping adventure from several years ago--a run from Seattle to NE California (around Lassen Volcanic Park) in a 1979 VW camper van equpped w/sink and cooler, but no stove or refridgerator. On this trip, I recall hauling along a two-burner Coleman propane stove; a bunch o' rugged cookware I didn't mind getting a little blackened over campfires, including a big-ass skillet and an old-school percolator; COFFEE!!! ; an assortment of dried bulk items from the food co-op, including black bean soup mix, dried vegetable mix, and quick-cooking grains and beans such as bulghur and lentils; a big package of bacon ends and pieces (we kept the cooler well-cooled, so this lasted us a goodly long time); a big folding vinyl water container with spigot and hauling handle; a small stash of seasonings, condiments, and cooking oil; a small stash of canned goods such as tuna, sardines, and tomatoes; crackers, trail mix, and other durable snacks; and a bunch of utensils, flatware, and dishes purchased at an army/navy surplus store. We started the trip with a small amount of perishables (hard cheese, salami, fresh fruit), and replenished as needed by stops in local grocery stores (or general stores once we got way the hell out in the sticks).

For plane travel, I try to have at least some kind of healthy snack along so I'm not totally at the mercy of airport and airline foods, but sometimes I'm just too rushed to manage that. If I do have the time, preferred travel snacks have been nutrition bars and trail mix.

For day car trips--like my fairly regular jaunts up to LA--I used to have this set routine. In addition to the trail mix/nutrition bar strategy, I used to go through a fast-food drive-through right before I got on the freeway, and pick up an order or two of the more driver-friendly finger-food-like offerings, like chicken fingers and fries, and a big-ass cup of diet Coke. (Rest assured, those concerned about drivers who dine at the wheel, that I would only hit this stuff either when not in major conjestion, or conversely when I was sitting in one of the many LA-area traffic jams).

Now, however, I'm on this healthy-eating regimen, so the chicken fingers and fries are right out. And the trail mix is probably not a good idea in large quantities either. I've got a jaunt up to LA scheduled for the last weekend of this month, so I'm already thinking about car-food I can take that's "healthy" but a little more interesting than carrot and celery sticks. Maybe a packet of sun-dried tomatoes--I actually like chewing on those things.

Edited April 6, 2006 by mizducky (log)

[JCD]

The dog and the really cool nylon foldable dish for her.

Water.

Scallions, fresh hot red jalapenos, good bread and a hunk of cheese

the camera

[Porthos]

Kerry mentioned this thread in another thread. I had mentioned in that thread taking our own cooking gear to the housekeeping cabins we rent in the High Sierras. The kitchens are not fitted with equipment for people who take their cooking seriously. I thought instead of trying to list the stuff we take I would take a picture of it:

 

 

A few notes.

 

There were a couple of items that I didn't get out of a different tub, the S/S sieve and the loose leaf binder. All menus are planned for and purchased for in advance.  The menus and any recipes we will need go into the binder.

 

There are 2 steamers pictured. The larger steamer nicely doubles as a pasta pot. I didn't dig out the fish poacher for this picture. The compliment of pots and pans varies each year based on the menus.

 

The shelves that the spices are on do not go with us. That unit is the spice shelving for my southern Ren Faire kitchen.

 

The small green knife roll at the top of the large knife roll is for paring knives. Because I also provide the knives in my Ren Faire kitchens I carry six paring knives.

 

The loose knives are cheap serrated-edge knives that my wife likes for certain tasks. They will never find their way into one of my knife rolls. I personally detest them.

 

There have never been wine glasses in the cabin and "old fashioned"-size glasses for cocktails are hit-or-miss so we added the old-fashioned glasses to the compliment this year.

 

Besides these cooking items we take another creature comfort: a flat-panel TV with built-in DVD player that also plays CDs and an external stereo speaker setup with an internal amplifier. The speaker/amplifier can be connected to the TV or my phone which is loaded with music.

 

edited for clarity.

Edited August 3, 2014 by Porthos (log)

[Porthos]

I failed to mentioned that the spices, oils and vinegars (not all pictured) are what we supply for our Ren Faire kitchens. Since faires and our High Sierras trips never happen at the same time we take them all along.

 

The small and large parmesan shakers are our kosher salt shakers. The small one is handy for a quick final seasoning adjustment, the large one for when I am prepping maybe a 12 lb beef roast.

 

Last year I found a Griscer-Brand hand-cranked shredder/slicer (think the KitchenAid shredder/slicer attachment). We didn't need it for any recipes this year so it stayed home. We do take a box grater.

[Alex]

Thanks for resurrecting this thread, Porthos; I didn't notice it the first time through.

 

I usually don't bring much in the way of food items on a typical hotel-based (or bnb-based) trip. I usually bring a bunch of Zone Perfect bars. Sometimes I'll take along a travel-sized Vinturi wine aerator. If I'm at a bnb with a drip coffee maker that I can use, and the owner doesn't use good coffee (or supply it at all), I'll grind and bring my own. If I'm at a hotel with a pod-based system, I might take some Starbucks Via instant coffee tubes. I'll often bring some Earl Grey or herbal tea bags.

[FauxPas]

Porthos - kitchen scissors, yes! We're in a temporary furnished place right now for about 2 months and I made sure to bring my own kitchen scissors, a decent set of knives, a couple of paring knives, an ice cream scoop (hey, it's summer-time!), a probe thermometer, tongs, my One-Touch can-opener and a good quality garlic press (despite what Marcella Hazan says, sometimes crushed garlic is a good choice).   

 

I also brought my Cuisinart Convection Steam toaster oven, an induction burner, a few stainless steel pots and a couple of stainless steel skillets. Also a casserole dish with lid that fits the Cuisinart and can be used for casseroles, lasagna, braised dishes. An assortment of plastic storage containers that store easily when empty. Some good quality freezer bags and storage bags. A small box full of spices and herbs. EVOO, balsamic vinegar, Cava white wine vinegar. A favourite honey. Keurig coffeemaker, Peet's and dark Starbucks coffee for my husband, decaf and herbal teas for me. My Cows coffee mug. Cows is a Prince Edward Island creamery/ice cream place. My husband has his fave A&W mug. 

 

We stayed in another place for just over a week before this one and it had no colander, strainer or sieve or anything of that sort. Absolutely nothing to measure with, and almost no bowls to mix things in. Someone put the cast iron frying pan through the dishwasher before we arrived - it was still in there, nicely rusting away, when we opened it. An oven that was not self-cleaning and rather badly in need of a good cleaning, so I made a point of only using my Cuisinart oven. 

 

This place is much better equipped but I know I will have to go buy a few things. And I should have brought my immersion blender. Darn. 

 

Edited to add: Forget to mention a few things that can't be purchased locally - Trader Joe's Chili Pepper sauce, some Santa Cruz Spice Co condiments (just south of Tucson), and some Arizona Cactus Ranch Prickly Pear Nectar. I always bring some of these things back with any trip to AZ. 

Edited August 3, 2014 by FauxPas (log)

[FauxPas]

A couple of other stories that stood out to me:

 

Fat Guy's modest requirements for a few days at Cape Cod (tough to read about some of these happy times with his family); 

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/91991-eg-foodblog-fat-guy-a-normal-week/?p=1257026

 

Also, some good discussions about what to take in Dave the Cook's foodblog, plus photos of his amazingly well-organized 'must-haves' in this post:

http://forums.egullet.org/topic/71720-eg-foodblog-dave-the-cook-beachcraft/?p=976747

[FauxPas]

Also, if we have the car and are in the US, I almost always take some vinegar and malt vinegar packets in the glove box, just in case we have fish and chips or french fries. (One of the things I like about Five Guys Burgers is that they have malt vinegar!

 

And my cat (in the pic) - can't forget about him. I made the mistake of buying him some Whisker Lickin's treats during our last US stay and kitty is mad for them. They don't seem to sell them in Canada so I had a US friend ship me a dozen packages to our Canadian house and of course had to bring some up to the mountain with us! And kitty's favourite dishes and bowls, natch.  

[Porthos]

FauxPas, thank you for the links.

 

After seeing Dave's tackle box I thought I would post a bit of info on my "system" of doing things.

 

I have three 66 qt totes that are dedicated to vacation. Excluding the spices, pots & pans and my knife rolls what you see goes into to one tote. A second tote has the stereo speakers, extension cords, toaster (the supplied toasters are notoriously unreliable) and other small doodads. The third tote is only about half full of extra stuff and a couple of large items. This tote gets the "needed for this trip only" stuff. A fourth large tote not dedicated to vacation carries the pots and pans. Yup, we do not travel light. Also, depending on the length of the trip it can take up to four 60-70 qt coolers for the cold and frozen stuff.

 

Since the spices and oils and such are also for my Ren Faire kitchen they are kept separately from the vacation stuff. The spices have their own small tote and there is a different small tote for the oil/vinegar/other liquids. I want dry and wet separate.

 

We also have a microwave to take up.  Some of the cabins have space for it so it goes only when it can be used.  Its job in life is reheating and thawing.

 

I use detailed packing lists to make sure I have everything I need.

[Porthos]

Someone put the cast iron frying pan through the dishwasher before we arrived - it was still in there, nicely rusting away, when we opened it.

 

That hurts to hear.

[FauxPas]

Yeah, it was kind of sad to see that pan in there. If we had been staying in that unit much longer, I might have made an attempt at re-seasoning it. 

[FauxPas]

Porthos, I am wondering if you have ever blogged one of your trips to the High Sierras? Sounds like it might be a fun read! 

[Porthos]

I couldn't do an actual live blog of such a trip. One of the things I really love about where we go is that cell phones don't work and there is not internet either. That is why we have to take the TV/DVD player so that we can enjoy movies in the evening.

 

My DW has been going where we go since she was 6.  We have taken this trip with my in-laws for over 30 years. 20 years ago or so my wonderful MIL started bringing a small boom box so we could listen to music while we were preparing dinner. After she passed we added the TV & DVD to enjoy movies in the evening.

 

I don't think of cooking on a vacation as a chore. I enjoy preparing food and sharing it with family far too pleasurable to consider not doing it. However, I am not interested in being a minimalist and that is why we have the vacation kit we do.

 

As an aside, when I began cooking in the Ren Faire kitchen that I inherited several years later, I started added equipment to that kitchen within a few weeks of working there. At this point I have equipment that is used at both the southern and northern faires I do, so equipment just for southern and some equipment just for northern. It's a good thing we have a Ford Expedition with a car-top carrier. Because of personal stuff we also take to northern I had to add a shelf that attaches where the trailer hitch would go and put several Rubbermaid totes on that..

[FauxPas]

It sounds like a great family tradition and a wonderful getaway. All I will say is that if you are so inclined - take a few pics and share a few details when you get back. But of course we will understand if you don't!