I would like to give a shout-out to American rest stops. My husband and I are road warriors, especially in the Age of COVID, and we have stopped and eaten our picnic lunches in some simply lovely and lovingly cared for rest stops. Along the coast route in Northern California there are rest stops in groves of redwoods, one even offering a twenty-minute trail to a lookout over the Pacific. In Montana you can hike up a steep hill and see forever into the the distance. North Dakota offered us a secluded picnic table in the midst of a prairie where the bison roam free. Very free! There was ample evidence that the open prairie extended to the picnic area. Not always, but usually, the restrooms are clean and safer than gas station restrooms because they are naturally quite well ventilated.
All the same, reading your newsletter I can’t help waxing nostalgic about the many bike trips we have taken in France and the culinary wonders we stumbled upon in quite unexpected places—tiny towns or just a restaurant in the middle of nowhere, with no town or even houses close by.
Thanks for another great distraction, David. It’s always a treat when your newsletter pops up in my inbox.
When staying with friends or at a rental, and I know I’m cooking, I always bring two knives, a spatula, salt and pepper mills, Lawry’s seasoning salt (in case burgers are desired), dried oregano and chives. I’m often cooking something special so I bring those ingredients as well. Often I pack Zip Lock bags and a roll of foil.
Outside the kitchen we also bring an extension cord (most outlets are smack in the middle of the headboard) and if driving, a small fan. The key when flying, is to pack these things in your checked luggage as Homeland Security frowns on knives and long rope-like items in carry on. Also when leaving Hawaii, the agricultural inspection X-ray identifies salt and some spices as soil or sand, a big no-no to remove from the islands. It’s no fun to dig through you luggage for a salt mill in front of other travelers, and it’s usually humid.
Love your work and have gifted several copies of Drinking French. Can’t wait for the next book.
It's funny because Romain always brings extension cords and two bedside lamps. I often think he's crazy but then I realize how wise he is to have those extra outlets (I bring a bag of chargers...) and the bedside lamps really come in handy for reading in bed too. Glad you like Drinking French! - thanks!
I don’t know why people get huffy about you bringing your own cooking tools on vacation. You’re a professional. Would one expect an artist to paint with whatever crappy art supplies (especially brushes) one finds on vacation? No. Point made. (After saying this I’m sure I’ll learn that Roman has a very laissez faire attitude on this). As for a scale, I’ve been using one ever since I discovered Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible. 1, it’s much easier to see the ratios in baking with weights. 2, the weight of the sugar tells me the weight of the flour (1:1) which the cups don’t tell me because flour varies so much depending on dip v. Scoop v. Sifted which aren’t always specified. 3, I know how many nuts, raisins, etc I need to buy since they are sold by weight not volume.
A few thought it was rude to show up with your own baking equipment but chefs travel with their own knives for a reason. I've never had a host feel slighted because I brought my own equipment. They're sometimes surprised, but then happy when I make dessert :) Scales are great for baking but many excellent bakers publish recipes in cups, such as Alice Medrich, Flo Braker, Jim Dodge, and Nick Malgieri, but I started including weights back in the early 90s. It'd be easier if we'd all agree on one measurement system!
I would like to give a shout-out to American rest stops. My husband and I are road warriors, especially in the Age of COVID, and we have stopped and eaten our picnic lunches in some simply lovely and lovingly cared for rest stops. Along the coast route in Northern California there are rest stops in groves of redwoods, one even offering a twenty-minute trail to a lookout over the Pacific. In Montana you can hike up a steep hill and see forever into the the distance. North Dakota offered us a secluded picnic table in the midst of a prairie where the bison roam free. Very free! There was ample evidence that the open prairie extended to the picnic area. Not always, but usually, the restrooms are clean and safer than gas station restrooms because they are naturally quite well ventilated.
All the same, reading your newsletter I can’t help waxing nostalgic about the many bike trips we have taken in France and the culinary wonders we stumbled upon in quite unexpected places—tiny towns or just a restaurant in the middle of nowhere, with no town or even houses close by.
Thanks for another great distraction, David. It’s always a treat when your newsletter pops up in my inbox.
When staying with friends or at a rental, and I know I’m cooking, I always bring two knives, a spatula, salt and pepper mills, Lawry’s seasoning salt (in case burgers are desired), dried oregano and chives. I’m often cooking something special so I bring those ingredients as well. Often I pack Zip Lock bags and a roll of foil.
Outside the kitchen we also bring an extension cord (most outlets are smack in the middle of the headboard) and if driving, a small fan. The key when flying, is to pack these things in your checked luggage as Homeland Security frowns on knives and long rope-like items in carry on. Also when leaving Hawaii, the agricultural inspection X-ray identifies salt and some spices as soil or sand, a big no-no to remove from the islands. It’s no fun to dig through you luggage for a salt mill in front of other travelers, and it’s usually humid.
Love your work and have gifted several copies of Drinking French. Can’t wait for the next book.
"...as Homeland Security frowns on knives and long rope-like items in carry on."
Thank you - that made me giggle! :)
It's funny because Romain always brings extension cords and two bedside lamps. I often think he's crazy but then I realize how wise he is to have those extra outlets (I bring a bag of chargers...) and the bedside lamps really come in handy for reading in bed too. Glad you like Drinking French! - thanks!
I don’t know why people get huffy about you bringing your own cooking tools on vacation. You’re a professional. Would one expect an artist to paint with whatever crappy art supplies (especially brushes) one finds on vacation? No. Point made. (After saying this I’m sure I’ll learn that Roman has a very laissez faire attitude on this). As for a scale, I’ve been using one ever since I discovered Rose Levy Beranbaum’s The Cake Bible. 1, it’s much easier to see the ratios in baking with weights. 2, the weight of the sugar tells me the weight of the flour (1:1) which the cups don’t tell me because flour varies so much depending on dip v. Scoop v. Sifted which aren’t always specified. 3, I know how many nuts, raisins, etc I need to buy since they are sold by weight not volume.
A few thought it was rude to show up with your own baking equipment but chefs travel with their own knives for a reason. I've never had a host feel slighted because I brought my own equipment. They're sometimes surprised, but then happy when I make dessert :) Scales are great for baking but many excellent bakers publish recipes in cups, such as Alice Medrich, Flo Braker, Jim Dodge, and Nick Malgieri, but I started including weights back in the early 90s. It'd be easier if we'd all agree on one measurement system!