Cooking & traveling are two great loves of my life; for me it's only natural they go hand-in-hand. Basically, my goal is both to experience & recreate local cuisine...kind of like Anthony Bourdain...except without a camera crew, free food, tour guides... ;) A really important item on my packing check list besides our The International Mobile Office is the International Mobile Kitchen. "Why?", you ask. "Don't you want to relax while on vacation?" I should mention that when we travel, we're pretty unconventional. We usually don't have too much of a plan or a schedule, we'll be gone from 10 days to a month, look for hostels or houses to rent with a kitchen. When travelling for 3 weeks, it starts to make sense to think about cooking some meals not only to save money, but to stay grounded. It's lovely to stock the fridge and eat local ingredients.
For our upcoming trip to Costa Rica, we'll be taking a "quicker" venture back to a gorgeous Caribbean nook that we first visited in 2010 and staying on the same property as last time. It's a rustic yet polished wooden cabina; private, tucked in the jungle and a two minute walk to the beach. Best thing about the houses is their spacious kitchens with counter-to-ceiling windows that open right into the rain forest. {Smile.}
Sometimes we we don't know where we'll stay yet, or the condition of the kitchen. It's really nice to be able to have my own kitchen equipment. I learned my lesson staying in hostels and rentals with completely dull knives and unsanitary looking cutting boards. Basically, the only things to be counted on are a pot, a pan, silverware & plates. I definitely have more of an idea of what to pack this time, since we know exactly what our kitchen will come with. I skipped on a few items (like a french press) because this particular kitchen is well-equipped. Here's what's coming to Costa Rica and why:
Knife roll
Chef's Knife
Slicing knife
Small curved knife
Kitchen Scissors
Wooden spoon
Vegetable peeler
Cork & bottle opener (obvious) ;)
Sponge
Kitchen Towel
Dish cloth
Potholder
Salt
Pepper
Hot Sauce
Olive Oil
Vinegar
Cumin
Beans (1 c black)
Rice (2 c brown)
Flexible cutting mats
I chose the knives for a variety of sizes & purposes, from slicing a mango to de-boning a fish or hacking up a chicken. Scissors have a multitude of purposes; including cutting tortillas to make chips! The spoon and other tools have obvious purposes. Many times, rental kitchens don't include a towel or sponges to do the dishes, so we've found it's key to bring our own. The cutting boards found in rental kitchens are usually thick plastic with way too many well-worn crevices which are breeding ground for bacteria. I'd rather bring these cheapies!
As far as the provisions, salt & pepper are obvious choices. Olive oil is used for sauteeing and dressings; the vinegar is for salads and marinades. I'm bringing cumin (leftover from our last trip to Guatemala) because so many Latin American dishes call for in. The rice & beans are to make Gallo Pinto, Costa Rica's signature side of beans & rice, sauteed with veggies. It would be super easy to procure the food items there, as there is a store about a block away. Problem is, they don't necessarily in such compact containers and at the price of "free". By at least starting with the basics, we can just shop at roadside stands and farm markets, knowing there are already some staples from home. In fact, I recently located an organic produce delivery service that we'll get to try out! So excited.
"But isn't that a lot of STUFF to bring?" Well, not really. I'd say it weighs about 8 lbs total. In fact, for a 10 day trip for two, we have managed to fit our mobile kitchen along with clothing, shoes & toiletries into ONE backpack. Pretty impressive, eh?
It feels so much "cozier" to me when I have my own kitchen items and can cook freely with local stuff: fish, plantains, coconut, veggies, avocado, beans & rice. :) Pieces of my own kitchen + My Squeezebox + the jungle, beach + my love = priceless. Pura Vida!
P.S. Don't forget to pack snacks for the plane and in your room!
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