So as requested what do you carry in your traveling kitchen?
I have:
A small dresser thingy that holds all my small things:
At least 4 sharp knives from small to big
1 wooden spoon, wooden spoon doesn't melt
1 plastic spoon, plastic spoon doesn't get mildew spots
1 silicone spoon thingy, also used as a rubber spatula and maybe replacing ladle.
1 potato peeler, also makes fine thin potato, cucumber etc slices for sandwiches and fries
1 grater that doubles as a strainer for my small batches of pasta etc.
1 wire whisk
1 ladle spoon although it gets in the way so may be ditched
1 pancake flipper, also doubles as ice scraper though not with MY permission.
A few big forks and a few big food serving tongs. Good for BBQ
3 plastic flat small cutting boards. These are like sheets of paper and while they work I prefer something a bit heavier these may go...
1 set of measuring cups and spoons. DIL gave me these and while I don't really use them I love her and she likes to give me things like this. So I make sure she sees them there. They are pretty and hang on the wall so not really a big deal and hubby uses them if ever he wants to cook.
This drawer thing also holds all my silverware. I hate using plastic stuff. Sometimes it's ok for a party or whatever, but I want to use less plastic if I can help it.
Pots and Pans and cooking things
I have a microwave as well as an induction burner as well as a small BBQ and a small air fryer.
For the microwave I have
4 silicon cupcake cups, also for the air fryer
I have 2 lidded soup size clay pots for individual microwave stuff, his and her type meals.
2 glass mugs for tea, hot cocoa, etc. these are also my measuring cups as they hold just one cup and I also use these for my S&B cooking
2 small glass bowls
1 mid sized glass deep dish pie pan
if I am going somewhere and need to make something big, party etc. a big covered glass casserole thing.
For induction burner I have
1 grilling pan the heavy cast iron thing with ridges
1 cast iron fry pan
1 small sauce pan
1 wok, small
1 tea pot, small, this heats all the dish washing water as well as spitze bath water.
1 thingy I have not used yet that is supposed to make 1 cup of coffee at a time. I hate coffee, but hubby likes it.
For the air fryer I have
some recycled pie tins, very small
still exploring this tool.
For dish washing and clean up I have
several recycled shopping bags for trash
3 dish pans for washing dishes the reason for 3 is they stack and don't take any more room then 2 so I have one for cleaning other stuff too,
small dish soap, small bleach jar and small bleach wipes
small spray bottle of simple green stuff
1 small pot scrubber
3 wash clothes
4-5 small dish towels
3 pot holders
rolls of paper towels
For the tables I have
1 small fold up table 4x6 ish fits over my microwave when driving and is a god send when I am really into cooking.
2 large plastic table clothes (I hate to eat off of dirty picnic tables)
1 table clamp on light holder thingy
2 seat cushions that double as knee pads when needed, small and very much worth the space they take up.
1 small jar, microwave cooking mason jar that so far has only been used as a vase.
Dining stuff
4 plates
4 tall plastic glasses (seriously nobody wants to be around me until at least one full glass of tea is inside me)
4 cereal bowls
2 extra large cereal bowls, also mixing bowls for small batches of muffins or biscuits or ???
2 steak knives that are also in the sharp knife count.
Some of the extras I have are a small suitcase type bag that is our traveling bar.
And if we are going someplace where it is possibly warranted, an electric hand held emulsifier thing for smoothies and or margaritas
The bar is about 8x10 and 2 inches deep so it fits.
It has small bottle of his kind of liquor and one of my kind of liquor as well as a bottle of vodka, a plastic shot glass. It also has a wine opener.
and straws 'cause well yea.
I have 2 jerry jug water carrying things, but for now only one is needed.
I have one small ice chest with a wool covering cloth over it. If we are out someplace hot I can wet it down and let it evaporate and help keep it cooler.
I have 1 small electric freezer thingy
I have one big soft picnic bag thingy with a big ol' thermos thing another gift from DIL that is really useful.
She has also given me a very small slow cooker and it is still inside the S&B house I use it a lot here we'll see if we can find a place for it.
I have my own van recipe book that I am working on. My son thinks I should work on getting it so other people can read it, Not just in my shorthand scribbles, he thinks it is something he and DIL would like to borrow when ever he gets his van working, I am also making one for my mom as she is now a full timer. She is not moving smoothly to full time RV cooking. She has some ideas though that I need to try...
The person who has helped the most I think is that lady Sandra(?) something that did her semi home made cooking show.
I have also gotten some great ideas here from folks here.
Thanks everyone!
Oh yea this is all packed in my homemade kitchen wall counter thing in about 2 feet of back of my van. It fills it pretty full top and bottom with a small counter that holds my microwave and my water jug it leaves me with just a tiny space to work which is why I have a small table too. This sounds like a lot and it is, but cooking is something I love to do sometimes, so why not.
On one side of the 'kitchen' is a closet, about 8 inches wide that holds any tools we may need and on the other side of the kitchen is the doggy supplies and first aide bag. Also holds extra coats if needed.
Ok so now what do you carry?
.
Disclaimer:
* I owned a restaurant business for ten years.
* (other than a few years) I full-time lived-aboard a mobile-yet-occasionally stationary vehicle for about a half-century.
I insist everything I carry must have multiple uses.
.
Hardgoods:
One ten-inch cast-iron skillet with glass lid.
One four-quart cast-iron Dutch oven with tight lid.
Two six-inch chef knives.
Steel.
About a dozen paring knives.
.
Each person aboard is issued a stainless-steel mug, a stew spoon, a fork, and a paring knife.
Users are encouraged to keep everything in their mug.
Users are individually responsible for finding their mug, using their mug, worshing their mug and implements... and stowing their mug.
.
One two-quart water-boil pot with whistle.
Two electric pressure-cookers.
One bamboo spatula.
Pepper mill.
Paper towels, commercial grade, commercial-size maxo-roll... two minimum.
.
.
Softgoods, organic -- standard:
Turmeric by the pounds, plural.
Coconut oil.
MCT oil.
Olive oil.
Butter, salted.
Ghee.
Coconut vinegar.
Coconut sugar.
Coconut milk.
Sea salt, smoked.
Pink salt.
Black salt.
Garlic powder.
Italian spices in the pound jug.
Eggs, pastured (two dozen minimum).
Lee&Perrin's Worst-er-shire juice.
Sardines in olive oil.
Tuna, fussy gourmet with snooty spices.
.
Softgoods, organic -- occasional:
Oatmeal for haggis.
Hemp flour pancake mix.
Maple syrup, half-gallon jug.
.
.
Cookers:
Induction hot-plates.
Ancient Coleman propane two-burner.
.
.
Clean-up:
One spritz bottle of sudsy water.
One spritz bottle of fresh water.
One 3-pack green/blue nylon scratchy-back sponges from the buck-n-a-quarter store.
Grocery bags, produce bags, empty dog-food bags.
.
.
With this kit, plus some meat and fresh vegetables, I can feed the team four nutritious delicious meals daily.
.
Any left-overs become starters for the next meal.
For example:
* left-over curry or squash stew becomes the foundation for a nice quiche
* left-over steak or chicken becomes stew meat... and the cycle continues.
.
.
Missing:
* grains
* dairy
* legumes
* seed oils such as rape soy safflower sunflower corn
* frozen dessert
* mandolin slicer
* bowls, plates, place-mats, candles in a candelabra, fruit in an oblong wicker
* Mrs Butterworth
