Hi friends!
I’m spending a few weeks away from home these days, and I thought now would be a good time to tell you about a little trick I have up my sleeve.
Ok, so it’s not a trick up my sleeve… it’s more like a jar of cinnamon up my sleeve. Totally normal, right?
When I travel, I like to stay where I might be able to make myself a fancy cup of psuedo-home coffee, or maybe throw together some roasted potatoes. Hotels are cool, but little rental houses with an oven are ideal. I just never want to be too far from a baking-related heat source. For this particular trip I’m driving from one end of North Carolina to the other, I’m doddling around NYC, and I’m teaching a few pie classes in Vermont.
Because I’m always hungry, I can’t really go anywhere without a bit of olive oil and a few pinches of saffron. Don’t laugh. It’s real.
Here’s a look inside my little carry-on kitchen!
I pick my favorite spices out of the spice drawer. My spice choices aren’t always the same. Different seasons call for different spices. The Fall is starting to feel crisp out east, so I’ve packed up some warm ground cinnamon, spicy chili powder, and super comforting saffron to start.
Wait… let’s just start from the beginning. Salt and pepper are important to me. I pack along whole black peppercorns (they’re easily smashed with the bottom of a pint glass) and coarse sea salt (good for cooking pasta and for finishing salads).
I always like to have good olive oil and quality balsamic vinegar on hand. I’m snobby about my oil and vinegar. Don’t worry… I know I’m annoying. I just bring my own! BTW: I’m not the girl that brings her own salad dressing to restaurants. I usually know where to draw the line. (Fingers crossed)
For spices I’m carrying ground cinnamon, spicy ancho chili powder, and ground cumin. I feel like I could make a quick stew or roast some sweet potatoes with these spices. Also, vanilla extract! My vanilla extract is just vanilla beans soaked in bourbon. So… this extract also doubles as a shot of bourbon. In case of travel emergencies. You know.
Some extras I pack away are: a classy wine key from Bottle Stock, a thick kitchen towel, and an all-purpose spoon that makes me happy. Update: I’ve recently carried this package on and had the wine key taken away from me. If you pack wine key, place the whole package in your checked bags.
Have you ever had a bottle of wine without a wine key? It’s TORTURE. You start to think of the most unreasonable ways to get in that bottle. Just bring your own key.
And BONUS! With these few kitchen tools, a few supplies from the grocery, and a camera… I could totally twerk a blog post. (Hm… this post is starting to sound like I’m a cinnamon fiend, olive oil snob, and major wine drinker that never goes on vacation. Totally true. It’s cool.)
I have found that these 3 ounce spice jars work well for travel spices! They even have shaker lids if you want to get fancy! I used these Dram Vials in assorted sizes. The 1 ounce jars are a great size. Best of all! All of these sizes are TSA approved. I pack it all away in a plastic sandwich container. It all packs in nicely!
Pro Tip: I pack all of my liquid vials like olive oil, vinegar, and vanilla extract in a clear ziplock bag. This way, if I need to, I can easily remove the liquids from the spice kit and run them through the airport x-ray scanners like I do liquid toiletries. Usually I just place the whole sandwich kit in the tray with my toiletries, and I don’t have a problem.
Actually. Full disclosure: the only problem I sometimes have is the TSA agents making fun of me for my plastic sandwich kit with cinnamon in it. Pffft. They just don’t know. Lastly, please don’t make fun of my culinary choices while I’m trying to put my shoes and belt back on in public. K. Thanks.
96 Responses
So…I’m happy some one else admits to drinking their vanilla extract. I actually like mine more for drinking (like added to a chocolate milkshake) or drizzled on top. And yes bourbon is the best way to go!
Love this, but I’d check with the airlines before trying to bring it on a plane or pack it in your check-in suitcase.
i’ve had no trouble carrying this package on and also checking it in the suitcase. but it’s funny… some airports are more fussy than others.
i just remembered! i had the wine opener taken away from me at one airport. i’ll add that note to the post.
Joy! I think Restoration Hardware took your idea! https://www.restorationhardware.com/catalog/product/product.jsp?productId=prod2690556&categoryId=cat1630018
mine is better.
You are officially my new favourite person. This is the best thing I’ve ever seen! Ps I love this font that I’m tying in… What is it??
Cutest thing ever. Thx for sharing. I have found myself sometimes wishing I had packed my own something from the kitchen. Really cool idea.
You inspire me to spend more time in the kitchen. : )
i found out about your king arthur flour class too late, after i was already headed out of town for the weekend. would have LOVED to attend! hope you enjoyed your time in Vermont and come back soon!
Amazing. This week I’m prepping for a week in a rented farmhouse in Vermont and this is just what I need!
This is adorable — and I’m totally stealing the idea.
Also, it was great meeting you in NY at the LHJ event — I loved your speech and am feeling inspired, appreciate you taking the time to talk with us!
-Kate
high-five Kate!
I love this post! I’ve been moving around these past 3 weeks, since I am waiting for our flat to be renovated. I wish I saw this post earlier and made my own carry-on kitchen. Great idea.
I think this is brilliant. I love it and you’ve inspired me. I don’t know why I don’t travel like this! :)
What a great idea! We do some camping and backpacking and always have to travel with our spices. I love the little jars you use.
Could you share how to make your bourbon vanilla extract ?!
yes! i’ll have a post about this soon!
Brilliant!!! I’m totally going to start doing this! :)
tic tac containers work too!! Not that I know anything about packing spices.
Haha I love it!! Cooking in someone else’s kitchen is always a challenge.
Great post as usual ! I’m a flight attendant and my co workers are always making fun of me because my bag is always full of food. I can’t stand the food we have in the plane and living out of a suitcase and mostly in hotel room means getting organized…. Plus when I go visit friends or family I always pack pastry bags and tips as well as some cupcakes silicone cups, because well .. You never know !
I really like your style! Mad respect.
Will you be making any official stops in North Carolina? Possibly near Chapel Hill?
i’ll be back in North Carolina next year on book tour for sure!!
NC? That’s my neck of the woods. Love your travel kit.
That is so awesome…it looks like a little emergency pack!
I agree with you – there is only so long you can spend in motel rooms within without a kitchen. When I travelled around Europe, after a couple of weeks we ended up in Ireland at a friend’s house and the first thing I did was go into their kitchen and say ” where’s the shops – I’m cooking dinner”. Needed my fix!
this is absolutely amazing and awesome! best of travels Joy!
I LOVE this idea! I know I’m just harking on what has already been said, but it’s super adorable! Is it that it’s super tiny, and tiny things are cute? Or that it makes sense and is perfect for traveling? I travel for work, and this could be just the thing for me…. man having salt and cinnamon would totally make my day, and make my hotel stays feel luxurious…
Cool idea! I had to give up a bottle of red wine last week to TSA…a NICE bottle which I genuinely forgot was in my bag. The TSA chief felt bad for me and I thought she was going to let it go..pshht, yeah right. Clink into the trash it went :( Sobbed the whole way home…
this is brilliant!
In college, my boyfriend and I studied abroad in Europe and went on a trip to Italy. We were staying in this hostel and had no money, so one night we bought paninis and a bottle of wine from a street vendor in Venice instead of going to a restaurant. When we got back to the hostel, we realized we had no way to open the bottle! We ran back to the vendor, who opened the bottle for us. Now we always travel with a wine key!
You are so cute!
Huh, I would have assumed that the oils and vinegar they wouldn’t have allowed as a carry-on. The last time I tried to bring a bottle of water (even in a plastic bag) they just about bit my head off (seriously yelled at me that it wasn’t allowed and barked “Do you want to drink that all now?!” As loudly as they could.. it was a little ridiculous).
I definitely have brought my own nutmeg though. I am really hooked on freshly grated nutmeg and bring the pods with me when I travel in a teeny jar. My mother-in-law laughed at me for it when we went for xmas one year.
I’ll just add this to the long list of reasons why I love you.
I love that you posted this! I always carry my own cinnamon, granulated Stevia, and sometimes rainbow sprinkles! You just never know ;)
What a clever idea!
What type of bourbon do you like to use to make your vanilla extract? I have been using vodka to make extract but would love to experiment with bourbon… what would you recommend for someone who doesn’t drink a lot of bourbon.
Love it! My husband and I did the same thing when we went to Seattle last year with out kiddo. We were two blocks from Pikes Market, so we made sure to stay somewhere with a kitchen. My husband travels through the oil fields for work, so he even has a tote full of cooking basics. Glad to see we aren’t the only ones!
Love that spoon…where can I find one?!
This is awesome! Love the little vials you chose for your supplies :) Great pictures.
P.S. I love how this comment section looks like a postcard! :D
This is too funny!!!!!!!!
I have travel knives for when we go on vacation because I can’t stand using the dull/bad knives that most vacation rentals have. I love the travel spice kit!
I travel with cinnamon for my hubs. Can’t stand annoying the waitress! Plus we are picky with our cinnamon. It’s Penzeys all the way. But I’ve never traveled with any of the other goodies you listed. You’ve got me thinking now! Plus those vials are just so darn cute – I mean who doesn’t need those!
I totally know what you mean! I like to travel with saigon cinnamon. You kind of get addicted to your food fetishes and you just like them everywhere you go…
This is such a good idea! I went traveling with my sister earlier in the year, and we stayed in lots of hostels. It was difficult to put meals together without much of any oil, salt, spices, etc. We were too cheap to buy big bottles of everything, and the small ones are so expensive! Will definitely try this next time.
You are not annoying! You are cool! A cool, EVOO/vinegar snob! Some people are snobby about their pillows/soap/hairspray. Look, we all have an obsession. Some people’s are just more unique than others! :D
Love this! I often travel with cinnamon too…but never olive oil! And I know just what you mean about not having a wine key – it’s the worst!
Hi, Joy.
Will you be apeaking or cooking anywhere in NYC this trip?
How about Vermont?
Spent some time in SC/NC last sping.
Drive some of the Skyline Drive in the mountains.
Love your blog.
You are so funny, and just real.
Thanks always,
Keyan
Great idea! I once brought a pepper/salt grinder I bought and didn’t like to my mom in my carry-on luggage and the TSA ladies were fascinated. Once we established that yep, that’s really salt and pepper in there, they were really nice about it :)
I love this! I totally bring along my own spices & oils if I am spending time anywhere I know I will cook.
Wine key is a must. I keep one in all bags and purses, just in case. After trying to open a bottle with a screwdriver once, you learn.
Love the vial idea!
This is hilarious but such a good idea! It’s always nice to be able to whip up a home cooked meal when you are traveling for an extended period of time!
I love that you bring your own 0 & v rather than fuss about it! off to dig for truffles this week!
I don’t know if you’ve seen this David Lebovitz post on what he travels with, but it makes all the stuff that I haul around seem more normal. https://www.davidlebovitz.com/2013/08/thing-i-bring-with-me-when-im-a-guest-for-a-weekend-or-week I use grapevine travel spice kit–you can get it on Amazon.
Great idea! I’m always missing many of these basics when I travel. Thanks for posting where to get the containers.
Joy-
I’m a North Carolina native and a serious fan of your site and cookbook. If you pass through Asheville you ought to try the Tupelo Honey Cafe (amazing renditions of Southern die-hard classics) and in Chapel Hill, my hometown, the Lantern restaurant on Franklin Street is extraordinary. I go there every year for my birthday and dream the other 364 days about their halibut or tea smoked chicken. Also, Maple View Ice Cream is a local dairy located out in the country and its porches and rocking chairs are worth the visit. There’s also a bakery called Sugarland (also on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill) that would be right up your alley. Hope you have a great time traveling through Carolina!
this is a great idea! next time I travel I’m definitely going to bring some carry on kitchen items with me.
Hello, my sister from a different mother…..I too carry “culinary necessities” with me when I travel. It’s just a little bit of comfort to know I’ve got what I need to “spice up” anything I might eat in a hotel room. I can’t afford nor do I want to eat out every night I travel. Started with ziplock bags then found clear zippered make-up bags… [on sale…I love a sale, oh yes, I do].
Oh man, I’m so glad I’m not the only one who does this! I’m not organized enough to have fancy vials, though, so I end up walking around with a full pepper grinder and spice shakers… oh well. At least my food tastes good!
Brilliant!!!! This is just pure genius. I always took real maple syrup for my children’s restaurant pancakes in my purse but never thought to download it in a small vial….yes, many stares but I didn’t care. Now between you and David Lebovitz’s post on the pans he packs while traveling, the two of you have it covered!
Are you making public appearances in NC? Thanks!
Love this idea! The worst part of traveling is leaving my kitchen, definitely doing this next time I leave town!
You are amazing! I love this post… what a great idea! It’s also just really cute ….. haha, most people can’t leave home without mascara or something! Great post, thanks for sharing.
When we were in Boulder, Colorado this summer, I was in a most amazing kitchen shop. I cannot recall the name, but I am sure they have this elsewhere. I saw, among their amazing selection of regular and supersized ones, a miniature pepper mill! I mean, like the size of your finger. Really, really small, and adorable! I wanted to buy it, but didn’t, I resisted. I bet they have it on Amazon, if you want to check it out!
This is such a cute idea! I’m getting more and more into staying at apartments rather than hotels. It’s so much nicer to sleep in a home and have the freedom to cook what you want. I’m going on vacation this christmas and might have to follow suit and bring my own carry on kitchen! love it!
JOY,
Will you pretty please make us a Boston Cream Pie? For years I’ve been trying different recipes for my husband’s birthday and they all fall short. It is a perfect recipe for you with your love of puddings, cake and chocolate. I know you could make the perfect one!
Pretty please, consider making one!!
Thanks so much for your blog, thoroughly enjoy it!
Great tip! But I will add that I haven’t been able to get by the TSA with a wine key…they don’t like the little knife on them for cutting off the wrappers. They will let it go if you break the knife off the key. Or just check it.
Love this! The larger jars look like the ones I get at Cost Plus World Market for 99-cents each. They’re handy.
Love this — what a great idea! I never would have thought of doing it, but it’s so smart!
oh and…. I do remember missing a wine bottle opener once. Quite badly actually. When a romantic cheese and wine picnic in a hotel bedroom turned into a glass smashing operation… A double surprise for my lucky boyfriend. Still, we didn’t let that deter us. :)
Laugh? No way! I’m mightily impressed instead! What an excellent idea!
a morning without cinnamon will never end in a beautiful day! this is a great idea!!!
i lived in nc for 15 years – i hope you have an amazing trip! you will get to catch all the red, orange, and yellow leaves for fall! (and the colours totally match your spice collection.)
Great ideas! Where do you get your thick kitchen towels?
What an awesome idea! Now that I’m hooked on “bulletproof”-type coffee, I’m afraid I’d have to tote along coconut oil and a little coffee frother. Makes travelling so much more pleasant if you have a few of your goodies along.
I really cannot say how much I LOVE this. I do the same thing (minus the classy packaging) when I visit my grandma! Finding out she hasn’t updated the spice cabinet since 1953 sealed the deal for me on that one!
Reminds me of when I went to Hawaii! Coffee bean grinder, chef knife, wine opener! When we would go to Ruidoso in June, I would always bring my kitchen tools to make my Dad’s Father’s Day dessert in my suitcase! What great memories!
Have a wonderful trip. Wave a “hello” to your fans in Greenville, NC.
:)
Hello Joy- Are you doing any events (book signings, appearances) while you are in New York City? If you have time while in the city, check out Rice to Riches (northern end of Little Italy) on Spring Street between Mott and Mulberry- it’s all about rice pudding.
Super cute set. Plus I always make my vanilla with vodka – why didn’t I think of bourbon? Entertaining and useful as always. Have a great trip.
Such a good idea. Whenever I go to my boyfriends he literally has nothing useful to cook with. Will give this a try. Thanks!
Why I have I never thought of doing this? I’m a total snob when it comes to these things too, so maybe I should just bring my own! Amazing idea, thank you Joy!
Cost Plus sells a travel spice kit! You should check it!
The only problem now is I hope I do not get my Makeup purse mix up with culinary carry on!
Too cute and you should totally do an in-depth guide on how to pack one for the savoury and sweet baker, Maybe if you have space in your book for a bit of cook.baker maintenance advice?
Cinnamon, chili powder and cumin: my three favorite spices. If it weren’t such a healthy addiction I’d say we maybe need a spice lovers anonymous….
Please stop and say “hi” to us in Durham on your way through NC! Also, the mountains should be absolutely stunning this time of year–be sure to drive the Blue Ridge and go on a hike or two if you have time!
When I travel and am going to be gone for any length of time, I love to bring as much with me as possible. Cinnamon and spices are great to bring b/c availability/cost of spices while traveling is iffy. And you said you bring olive oil and vinegar, for me it’s coconut oil. Can’t leave home without it :)
Have fun on your travels! We used to live in NC at the coast and it’s beautiful and Vermont, pie class, K.A. I am betting? Gosh, how fun!!!
What a fabulous idea! I have always had the mandatory salt, pepper and sugar in my handbag in case of emergencies but never thought of packing additional spices, oils and extracts as well – I love it!
What a great post! Love the containers and the idea to pack salt and pepper. Genius! :)
https://sometimesgracefully.com
My husband and I pretty much bring this sort of carry on kit with us where ever we go. We joke that we should basically have a tackle box ready for the road. Its so frustrating getting somewhere and not having the ingredient you want or need when you can picture exactly where it hangs out in your own kitchen.