January 11, 2010
If You Had to Pack Your Kitchen in a Suitcase…
Two dear friends of mine just moved overseas rather suddenly, taking only four suitcases between them for a job posting that could last more than a year. They’re a young couple who had been sharing a studio apartment here in D.C., so they didn’t own much to begin with, but they still had to put a lot of things in storage.
Vintage suitcases, courtesy Flickr user mollypop
The hardest things to part with weren’t clothes—they can buy more of those overseas since they’ll be in a different climate anyway—or furniture, which they’d mostly gathered at yard sales. It was the kitchen where they faced the toughest decisions. The faithful, but massive, KitchenAid stand mixer clearly couldn’t come along, nor the familiar sets of dishes and glasses (although there will be dishware, pots and pans, etc. in their temporary housing). Coffee maker, blender, spice rack, decanter, tea pot… nope. Gadgets? Maybe. Depends on size.
In the end, they selected their two favorite coffee mugs, two good knives, the handheld immersion blender, a microplane zester, a citrus squeezer and a garlic press. Wow, that’s really narrowing it down, alright! I would make similar choices in the same situation.
Here’s my top-ten list for kitchen stuff I consider most essential (and portable-ish). What’s on your own list?
- A good, sharp knife—preferably two, a paring knife and a larger chef’s knife
- Handheld immersion blender with blade and whisk attachments
- 10-inch stainless steel, non-stick skillet (because “pots and pans provided” doesn’t mean GOOD pots and pans…)
- Silicone spatula
- Microplane graters/zesters (in three sizes. Hey, they’re small.)
- Mesh basket tea strainer (because it can, in a pinch, also be used for sifting and skimming)
- Toaster-oven sized baking sheet and Silpat mat
- Vegetable peeler
- Digital kitchen scale (it’s small, and can replace measuring cups)
- Bialetti stovetop 4-cup espresso maker
And a wine opener would be a good idea, too, but I left it off the list because I was thinking about the specific context of my friends’ move—to a teetotaling culture. (That might be the toughest sacrifice of all, from my perspective. At least there will be coffee…)
Bon voyage, J & W!
Sign up for our free email newsletter and receive the best stories from Smithsonian.com each week.
My list focuses on things that I’m unlikely to be able to buy in a country outside of Western Europe. Not 10 exactly, but most of them are small. I’d probably also buy an e-reader and buy a half-dozen good cookbook.
1. 10″ chef’s knife and 4″ paring knife
2. approx 10×13″ plastic cutting board (the end-cut wood being too big and heavy, sob) and the thin plastic cutting sheets
3. curved plastic bowl scraper
4. good digital scale
5. double-sided measuring spoons
6. box grater, maybe also microplane one
7. the big, heavy, copper saucier pan and lid – because I use it for 80% of my cooking http://www.surlatable.com/product/mauviel+copper+saucier%2C+8%26%2334-.do?keyword=mauviel&sortby=ourPicks#
8. immersion blender, since the full size blender + mini food processor is just too big
9. good digital thermometer/timer, the type that you can set to a temperature as well as to a time
10. half dozen high-heat silicon spatulae
11. fine wire mesh colanders and/or strainers
I’d bring my 6 quart Kitchenaid professional stand mixer, even if I had to buy it its own seat!
Lisa@behindtheknife.com
1. Knives, chef and paring, plus a steel
2. balloon whisk
3. 10 inch cast iron skillet
3. 10 inch stainless skillet (not nonstick)
4. measuring spoons
5. 2 microplanes
6. enamel steel drip coffee maker
7. small strainer
8. large flat-ended wooden spoon
9. 4 half-cup bowls
10. pepper mill
Aww thanks, Amanda. The suitcase with the kitchen supplies still hasn’t arrived but fingers crossed that it will soon. And in case your wondering, I’m already making a list of a few last items I hope Wick will fit in including my 10 inch skillet :)
As an expat living in China, I can relate very well to this post. The problem with moving a good scale is that it will most likely get broken. I brought our William-Sonoma scale and it did not work upon arrival. I think the scale could not take the pounding of the move. I swear by my three thermometers though. My oven does not work like the one I had in the US. Thank GOD for my oven thermometer.
I have to use a traveling kitchen because of some health conditions. The one thing I haven’t found suitable yet is, a colander or strainer I like. I did use a metal mesh one, but it eventually got too crushed to be much use. Any suggestions?
I did buy a camping cutting board (REI) and some other camping cooking gear that work really well. Nothing can replace a good chefs knife.
I did find a $20 small lightweight blender from walmart that fits in my travel kitchen suitcase. Works great.