This was published 3 years ago
One for the road: my little gastronomic emergency kit
By Terry Durack
Ah, the joy of a road trip, the freedom of cutting loose and hitting the road without a care in the world. Excuse me, but who am I kidding? I’m not going anywhere without a complete kit of all the things I need to ensure my gastronomic comfort at all times.
When I was a kid, there was a first aid kit inside every family car, ready for any emergency from sunburn to headache to snake bite. There were bandages and scissors, and I seem to remember tweezers, but not the reason why. These days, my first aid kit is more epicurean, but no less useful in an emergency situation.
These days, my first aid kit is more epicurean, but no less useful in an emergency situation.Credit: Illustration by Simon Letch
By that, I mean coming across a roadside stall, or a farm-gate stand with its little tin honesty box. And who knows when a regional farmers’ market or a “best pies on the coast” shop might heave into sight? You don’t want to be caught short without the necessary means to make the most of them.
So my little gastronomic emergency kit will always include sea salt, for fear of anything out there that could possibly be under-seasoned. Those single-serve blister-packs of tomato sauce and little plastic fishies of soy sauce that come with take-home food. Likewise, paper napkins and hand wipes, for obvious reasons. There are even a few of those little packs of sugary biscuits from country motels in there, for any random cups of tea that don’t come with biscuits of their own.
As for tools, I have a couple of $10 serrated Victorinox knives to render service unto any cheeses that might cross my path, and a couple of mismatched plates and unbreakable glasses.
Any variations are dependent on the destination. If I’m sticking to the coast, I’ll throw in the oyster knife, just in case. If heading to a barista-free zone, I’ll take good coffee. My preferred road trip partner once packed a small jar of her mother’s raspberry jam for a trip to the country. When questioned, she said it was in case she came across a scone.
I get that. It’s the same reason I always have a bottle of wine stashed in the boot, in case I come across a wooden bench, an ancient tree and a glorious sunset. You have to be prepared for any eventuality.
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