Re no room for spices in ones suitcases. Backpackers to the rescue! I found a little set of spice containers in the backpacking section at an outdoors store. The whole thing is smaller than a roll of saran wrap. I also saw a tip to use a pill kit. This one was an outer container maybe the size of a trade paperback, but flatter. & inside were 8, 12 round shallow containers that she puts spices in.
The good thing is you’re only gone for a week or so, so you don’t need much. & you know what you use in your cooking/have an idea of your menu. So you can fill them accordingly. When I did this, I knew I wanted more kosher salt (Diamond was hard to find at the time) & more herbs de provence (steven stolman’s roast chicken provencal is one of my go-to dishes, it’s in the NYT app), so I was able to find a couple bigger backpack spice/whatever jars for those 2.
And get a small bottle to put some olive oil in so you don't have to bring the whole thing! Not sure if toiletry bottles are food-safe (I'm sure some are?) but I'm sure you can track down a small leakproof bottle.
I just did a cabin trip like this and very successfully used up almost all the groceries I brought. A few things:
- It was a roadtrip, so I prepped tuna salad (2 cans tuna, capers, dill, celery, kewpie mayo, mustard) in advance as well as taco salad mix (soyrizo, red onion, corn, black beans.) Then for dinner the first night we had taco salads on romaine with salsa, lime juice, avocado, and chips. And then we continued to use the romaine for two lunches worth of tuna sandwiches on hamburger buns (which I always keep in the freezer, just brought four.)
Then for breakfasts we had toast with PB or pancakes from a boxed mix. Plus s’mores and chips and fruit for snacks. This was all really easy! I bought those OXO leakproof bottles for olive oil and salt that Julia had recommended, and then brought chili flakes and my pepper mill. I wouldn’t fly with a pepper mill but if I am driving, I am bringing it cuz I hate pre-ground pepper. I also always bring diamond Crystal kosher salt cuz I find Airbnbs typically only have iodized table salt, and thanks to Samin Nosrat I can’t go back!
This ended up being one small cooler and three bags of groceries for reference. Another easy option we do on trips a lot is quesadillas/burritos!
I also challenge myself on vacation to use ingredients that can be used two or three way — sliced pepper Jack can go on a sandwich and be diced in a taco salad. Mustard can go on tuna sandwiches and hot dogs. Stone fruit could be a snack or grilled for dessert, etc. And then embrace boxed mixes or frozen elements (tater tots!) as much as you want! I enjoy vacation cooking honestly, it feels very low-stress for me :)
Awesome ideas! We do similar things when we drive somewhere, and in fact we have a kitchen box that we bring along with all the equipment and staples we don’t want to be without. At least a couple of times a year, we go through the kitchen box and rotate the edibles as needed, sharpen the knives, and assess what we might want to change.
Our challenge comes when we fly somewhere. We almost never check luggage, so bringing knives is off the table, so to speak. (Ditto with bringing even small quantities of other liquids.) Most places don’t have decently sharp kitchen knives, and using them is frustrating, dangerous, or both! While it’s possible to use the unglazed ceramic rim of a plate or mug as a makeshift honing steel, that isn’t a substitute for truly sharpening a knife. On these occasions, we find ourselves leaning into prepared food items far more than we otherwise do: salad kits that include a packet of dressing, meat that is already cut and perhaps even seasoned already, the kinds of cucumbers that don’t need to be peeled, baby carrots rather than big ones, some form of little tomatoes if they are not going on sandwiches, and…takeout from a local restaurant that serves something we can’t easily make or can’t find at home.
But it really isn’t much different than making a box of Jiffy cornbread rather than making it from scratch. Especially if you’re on vacation, it’s all about what’s possible without going nuts.
I loved this essay, in part because I love anything that takes me on someone else's vacation - pure fantasy!
As I was reading, I also realized so clearly that the reason I always return to your work is it just oozes joy and ease. Two things that the world needs more of. Thank you for sharing these :)
Finally, back on topic, I almost always bring a fine microplane because it works for shallots, garlic, cheese (finely grated parm on top of a salad is really something), or citrus zest (add this to the salad at the last minute - divine) all of which make a salad EXCELLENT, this also makes marinades so easy. I might, if I am feeling more high maintenance, bring some smoked paprika which is so delicious on any cooked potato, chicken, grilled corn. Otherwise the microplane does most of what I need. I am very much a garlic, onion, citrus gal. Ah, depending on where I am going I might bring Maldon salt. But if I think I can get it there I just assume I will bring the leftovers home with me.
KAZOO!!! I work at a public library and this is the big time!!! What a great magazine! I am off to check the shelves! Congratulations! (that is a lot of exclamation points for someone who's only had one cup of coffee.....)
LOVE THIS. It hit my inbox on the exact day I’m meal planning for 8 people for a week at the beach in a motel kitchenette. Going to lean in hard on chart #2.
This is great! Thanks, especially for the seafood menu and shopping plan. We’re taking a road trip from Arizona to an Oregon Airbnb in two weeks. Will make some substitutions, but will have access to good Pacific seafood. Yum, I can’t wait!
Re no room for spices in ones suitcases. Backpackers to the rescue! I found a little set of spice containers in the backpacking section at an outdoors store. The whole thing is smaller than a roll of saran wrap. I also saw a tip to use a pill kit. This one was an outer container maybe the size of a trade paperback, but flatter. & inside were 8, 12 round shallow containers that she puts spices in.
The good thing is you’re only gone for a week or so, so you don’t need much. & you know what you use in your cooking/have an idea of your menu. So you can fill them accordingly. When I did this, I knew I wanted more kosher salt (Diamond was hard to find at the time) & more herbs de provence (steven stolman’s roast chicken provencal is one of my go-to dishes, it’s in the NYT app), so I was able to find a couple bigger backpack spice/whatever jars for those 2.
Pill kit = genius!
And get a small bottle to put some olive oil in so you don't have to bring the whole thing! Not sure if toiletry bottles are food-safe (I'm sure some are?) but I'm sure you can track down a small leakproof bottle.
Joy the Baker has an old post about her "carry-on kitchen" that's relevant here: https://joythebaker.com/2013/10/carry-on-kitchen/
sorry for the long link but these are great!!
https://www.oxo.com/shop/kitchenware/tools-gadgets/oxo-outdoor-leakproof-squeeze-bottle-set.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=2024-03-01_kw_na_cb_na_cb_oxo_coba_na_na_na_n/a_na_na_na_na_dtc_na_na&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=19091569344&gbraid=0AAAAADHFonDiar29GYw49Jf22zTqywP7w&gclid=CjwKCAjwyb3DBhBlEiwAqZLe5Ku1k0uzx-B2hrzVAbCJ1T8Ftqz3I9JBgw1JlQdlXLCgdGsY5vBDHxoCFeIQAvD_BwE
love all of this!!!
I just did a cabin trip like this and very successfully used up almost all the groceries I brought. A few things:
- It was a roadtrip, so I prepped tuna salad (2 cans tuna, capers, dill, celery, kewpie mayo, mustard) in advance as well as taco salad mix (soyrizo, red onion, corn, black beans.) Then for dinner the first night we had taco salads on romaine with salsa, lime juice, avocado, and chips. And then we continued to use the romaine for two lunches worth of tuna sandwiches on hamburger buns (which I always keep in the freezer, just brought four.)
- Hotdogs on the grill with chips
- Two different easy pasta dinners that made lunch leftovers. One was just jarred sauce and noodles and the other was the NYT Cooking crispy gnocchi (with cauliflower instead of brussels.) We make this all the time so we don’t need the recipe - no recipes on vacation lol! https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1020453-crisp-gnocchi-with-brussels-sprouts-and-brown-butter?smid=ck-recipe-iOS-share
Then for breakfasts we had toast with PB or pancakes from a boxed mix. Plus s’mores and chips and fruit for snacks. This was all really easy! I bought those OXO leakproof bottles for olive oil and salt that Julia had recommended, and then brought chili flakes and my pepper mill. I wouldn’t fly with a pepper mill but if I am driving, I am bringing it cuz I hate pre-ground pepper. I also always bring diamond Crystal kosher salt cuz I find Airbnbs typically only have iodized table salt, and thanks to Samin Nosrat I can’t go back!
This ended up being one small cooler and three bags of groceries for reference. Another easy option we do on trips a lot is quesadillas/burritos!
I also challenge myself on vacation to use ingredients that can be used two or three way — sliced pepper Jack can go on a sandwich and be diced in a taco salad. Mustard can go on tuna sandwiches and hot dogs. Stone fruit could be a snack or grilled for dessert, etc. And then embrace boxed mixes or frozen elements (tater tots!) as much as you want! I enjoy vacation cooking honestly, it feels very low-stress for me :)
YES!!!!!!
love all of this sooooo much thank you keri!!
These are sooooo great! I'm not traveling this summer (#hermitvibes 😆) but I am totally following these for summer weekend meals. YAY!😋
love hermiting, too!
Awesome ideas! We do similar things when we drive somewhere, and in fact we have a kitchen box that we bring along with all the equipment and staples we don’t want to be without. At least a couple of times a year, we go through the kitchen box and rotate the edibles as needed, sharpen the knives, and assess what we might want to change.
Our challenge comes when we fly somewhere. We almost never check luggage, so bringing knives is off the table, so to speak. (Ditto with bringing even small quantities of other liquids.) Most places don’t have decently sharp kitchen knives, and using them is frustrating, dangerous, or both! While it’s possible to use the unglazed ceramic rim of a plate or mug as a makeshift honing steel, that isn’t a substitute for truly sharpening a knife. On these occasions, we find ourselves leaning into prepared food items far more than we otherwise do: salad kits that include a packet of dressing, meat that is already cut and perhaps even seasoned already, the kinds of cucumbers that don’t need to be peeled, baby carrots rather than big ones, some form of little tomatoes if they are not going on sandwiches, and…takeout from a local restaurant that serves something we can’t easily make or can’t find at home.
Love giving yourself the flexibility to lean into the prepared stuff!!
But it really isn’t much different than making a box of Jiffy cornbread rather than making it from scratch. Especially if you’re on vacation, it’s all about what’s possible without going nuts.
💯
I loved this essay, in part because I love anything that takes me on someone else's vacation - pure fantasy!
As I was reading, I also realized so clearly that the reason I always return to your work is it just oozes joy and ease. Two things that the world needs more of. Thank you for sharing these :)
Finally, back on topic, I almost always bring a fine microplane because it works for shallots, garlic, cheese (finely grated parm on top of a salad is really something), or citrus zest (add this to the salad at the last minute - divine) all of which make a salad EXCELLENT, this also makes marinades so easy. I might, if I am feeling more high maintenance, bring some smoked paprika which is so delicious on any cooked potato, chicken, grilled corn. Otherwise the microplane does most of what I need. I am very much a garlic, onion, citrus gal. Ah, depending on where I am going I might bring Maldon salt. But if I think I can get it there I just assume I will bring the leftovers home with me.
Joy and ease! Yes!
<3
Whitney.... thank you! so sweet. Really appreciate this. And yes to the microplane for all of these reasons!!! should I just leave one in my car?!?!?!
100% I would find great joy in being able to run out to my car to grab my microplane should circumstances require
WOW! This is terrific, Julia. It really makes me want to go on a vacation! Thank You!
hahaha yes me too!
KAZOO!!! I work at a public library and this is the big time!!! What a great magazine! I am off to check the shelves! Congratulations! (that is a lot of exclamation points for someone who's only had one cup of coffee.....)
awww thanks beth!
LOVE THIS. It hit my inbox on the exact day I’m meal planning for 8 people for a week at the beach in a motel kitchenette. Going to lean in hard on chart #2.
amazing! hope it's helpful!
This is great! Thanks, especially for the seafood menu and shopping plan. We’re taking a road trip from Arizona to an Oregon Airbnb in two weeks. Will make some substitutions, but will have access to good Pacific seafood. Yum, I can’t wait!
have a safe drive!!!!!!!!