Welcome To My Kosher Home

Cooking on the Road

For those of you who've had enough tuna fish and peanut butter in out-of-the-way places, here's a summary of the PFI road cook's handbook. From just a few of these items you can make a large variety of hot and tasty multi-course meals.

Many ordinary nationally-distributed packaged grocery items are kosher, as well as a surprising number of regional items. Produce, milk, and butter (not cholov yisroel, of course) are common. Fresh fish is often manageable, but cheese and meat forget about. It shouldn't take much imagination to put together a decent menu from what is available in the most goyish of supermarkets. Almost everything in the PFI lineup can be made on the road.

The most prevalent cooking utensil available in any grocery store in a variety of sizes and styles is the aluminum pan. You can boil, saute, fry (deep or shallow), and even bake in them, then throw away...no toveling required.

Although many hotel chains such as Marriott's Residence Inns have full kitchens, using a camp stove right in the room will get the job done. Don't ask, don't tell!

Whether you bring stuff from home or pick it up along the way, coolers are available which plug in to the car or 110v and heat or cool depending on which way you throw the switch. And, they really work.

Some implements you just can't do without. A good, sharp knife, which will serve for paring, chopping, or what-have-you. You can't depend on being able to tovel a new one, so bring something from home. If you have to choose between milk and meat, choose milk...there'll be more choices of ingredients.

Same with a good, sharp peeler.

And a can opener...here is the venerable P38, a veteran of WWII.

Bring one place setting of silverware...the pieces will fill in for serving, cooking, etc.

A nice set of utensils will be helpful...if necessary you can buy plastic on the road as required.

Although not essential, a good, capacious pot from home is much easier to use than an aluminum pan that you have to be careful not to puncture.

Same with a frying pan.

Of course, it makes a difference if you're flying or driving. If the latter, load up the kitchen sink. Otherwise think of what your family eats and what you're likely to find, and plan accordingly

email feedback