ost RVers love food. I know we do. We love talking about food, love discovering new flavors, love new recipes and sharing old ones. Like many other RVers, we also love to entertain and often have spontaneous small gatherings. And, after teaching for a combined 50+ years (yikes) we learned several important lessons: Always be overly prepared for everything, bring your own food, pack more food than clothes and definitely have more than one corkscrew handy.
So what is the Culinary Camper? It’s all about how to prepare favorite foods and the occasions when they are shared. Simple ingredients, when well prepared, can turn any day into a memorable experience on the road.
Of course, one of the challenges we all face in our RV kitchens is lack of space and the need to not add unnecessary weight. That’s okay. One thing we’ve noticed about RVers is that they are often “gadgeteers” and accomplished DIYers — planning, packing, and provisioning all the essentials (and then some) required for living in their rolling homes.
robably the most often used tool in any kitchen is the knife, so choose wisely. Knives with high carbon stainless-steel stay sharp longer. Knives with a blade that extends the full length of the handle, called a full tang, provide the strongest construction. Granted, you can’t take a whole knife set with you on the road, but you need a good 8-inch chef’s knife, a 4-inch paring knife — and a serrated bread knife really comes in handy, too. These three knives from Mercer Culinary get daily use in our kitchen and will give you the versatility you need for all your basic food preparation tasks. The handy, lightweight Smith’s Carbide Ceramic Diamond Knife Sharpener, meanwhile, is an excellent choice to maintain the sharp edge of your knives to prevent bruising foods when cutting.
hoosing just the right measuring equipment can be a daunting task with so many choices out there. First remember: You should have both dry and wet measuring spoons and cups. We’ve found the double-ended stainless steel-measuring spoons set from Spring Chef to be an excellent choice. They are magnetic so they stick together in your drawer. Also, the angled plastic measuring cups marketed under OXO’s Good Grips brand make it easy to get accurate liquid measurements, read from above.
he non-porous, high-density surface of bamboo cutting boards make them more hygienic than many plastic or wood and resistant to warping, cracking and knife scarring. Combine those attributes — plus easy care and maintenance (simply wash by hand and oil monthly) — make such boards a great choice for your RV kitchen. To avoid cross contamination always use a separate board with side wells to catch juices for meats, and a second board for fruits and vegetables that can be reversed for onions and garlic. Totally Bamboo carries a wide choice of products in a wide array of sizes to fit your space requirements.
zester is a small handheld tool used to cut or scrape the rind of citrus to add flavor or garnish. A versatile, sharp stainless-steel model that can zest citrus and also grate cheese, nutmeg, coconut and even chocolate and nuts will serve you well and maintain its sharpness. A sharp paring knife can be used to peel the skin from fruits and vegetables, but the unique slotted blade of a vegetable peeler is designed to prevent the blade from cutting too deeply into the vegetable. If space allows, also keep a sharp stainless-steel peeler on hand.
he utensil drawer of your RV can quickly become overrun with all sorts of wooden, metal and plastic utensils, so make your choices wisely. Silicone-covered spoons and utensils can withstand temperatures up to 600 degrees F and are lightweight. Another nice utensil to have on hand is the spurtle. Originally a wooden dowel used in 15th-century Scotland to keep porridge from getting lumpy, the American Spurtle — a hybrid spoon spatula — easily performs many tasks. The flat surfaces easily scrape the sides of pans or bowls without damaging the surface and contacts the surface better than the rounded bowl of a wooden spoon. A slotted spurtle can be used for scrambling and to drain liquids from mixing bowls and pans. A wire or silicone whisk, meanwhile, can do the work of a rotary hand mixer to produce batters, eggs and, yes, even whipped cream. Look for one with a handle to provide a substantial grip.
he versatility of an immersion, or hand-held, blender cannot be overstated. The ease of use helps simplify your meal preparation. Just plunge this tool directly into your soup pan, mixing bowl or drink shaker. Use it to make smoothies, mashed potatoes or pureed soup and salsa. Treat yourself to the most powerful handheld blender you can afford, or splurge on a set with accessories to expand its usefulness.
he difference between a colander and a strainer is just a matter of size. Strainers are made of fine wire mesh and are used to remove lumps from sauces and gravies, while colanders have larger holes to drain off volumes of liquid from pans and bowls. Collapsible silicone strainers can fit right into the sink and fold up small enough to store in a drawer.
ollapsible silicone bowls do double service — as mixing bowls and attractive serving bowls — and take less space in your cabinets. Choose sets with several sizes and lids to meet all your needs.
ny set of tongs will keep fingers from contaminating food containers and from injury with hot foods, pans, grills, griddles and campfires. Our collection includes a 10-inch stainless steel set, a long silicone coated set, and a cute set of little mitten-shaped tongs perfect for serving ice cubes. A few other “necessities” that should also be on your radar include heat-resistant oven gloves and mitts, potholders, plenty of dish towels and aprons — all of which add a level of comfort and safety. They can also be tucked into nooks and voids when traveling to prevent rattling and jostling of anything in kitchen storage.
mercerculinary.com
Totally Bamboo
totallybamboo.com
Warther Cutlery
warthercutlery.com
