25 Comments
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Fiorella Papini's avatar

I love the idea of whisking up salad dressing in the hotel room!

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

you do what you gotta do!

Katie Stearns's avatar

I am sooo behind on my Substack reading!!! But wow, this is full of SO many gems. I love the idea of buying a cheap chef's knife (and leaving it forthe next renter!), but I think this is my favorite line of all: "Frolic in the weird mishaps!" Applicable to vacation cooking and life in general, I think!

Clare Langan's avatar

Smart! I'll add one: bring frozen marinated protein on your next camping trip. They thaw in the cooler and you can throw them right on the grill.

Betty Williams's avatar

Love these smart ideas! But have to say that spice pill box tip is absolutely happening next time I travel! The buy a knife and leave it is also super helpful - most rentals have terrible knives! Great great round up of tips, Maggie!

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

Just gotta be sure to label what’s what in that spice box!

Betty Williams's avatar

Hahaha! That’s true!

Annick Paternoster's avatar

Btw does this mosquito repellent device work?

Annick Paternoster's avatar

I own the ‘Provence’ book by Alex Jackson and never cooked a single meal - I am a decent cook. All recipes look too long and complicated for a holiday. I was hoping this Sardine was his more basic approach but learning in the comment above it is the same thing! I got this 1800s French book - a local friend commented: my mum used that one a lot. But also difficult.

Erin Henderson's avatar

Solid advice across the board, but I think #6 is the winner!

Betty Williams's avatar

Came here to say that, too! So smart to pack spices in a pill box!

Chandra Ram's avatar

So many good ideas here!

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

Now I just wish I were traveling!

LINDA MCNEIL's avatar

My partner and I love cooking on vacation, and always check out the local farmers market. Last Saturday we found fresh herring and cold smoked haddock and cooked up a feast that night in our apartment!

Georgia Freedman's avatar

When we travel in China we always bring a coffee setup of some kind, usually the Aeropress or a mini pour over, and pre-ground coffee. Every hotel has a kettle for hot water, but outside of major cities you can’t get coffee until afternoon.

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

Aeropress is SO good for travel.

Ariel's avatar

Wow. I love all of this.

Hillary Dixler Canavan's avatar

Greg’s knife tip is a really smart hack for realistic packing. I don’t want to pack my knives and go [on vacation]. I just want to go on the vacation!

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

I really need to get a better knife roll for travel, but yeah, I like the idea of leaving the house better than it was when you arrived…

Catherine Smart's avatar

Why haven’t i been making salads on camping trips??

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

It hurt a bit to put this together when I’m definitely staying in town awhile!

Anna Ansari's avatar

I take Alex Jackson's Sardine (now sold as Provencal) to South of France every year! Already can't wait for the meals I cook from it for later this month.

Maggie Hoffman's avatar

Now I gotta pick that one up!