There is so much joy to be had from eating out on holiday, of course. It’s a treat. It’s part of what makes the holiday feel like a holiday. Sitting in a piazza somewhere, a warm breeze on your sun-kissed skin, a cold glass of wine in your hand, a drawn-out deliberation between the pici or the tagliatelle (the correct decision is both), a waiter who tells you that you really must try the garlicky spinach because it is, in fact, the best thing on the menu even though it doesn’t sound like much, the people-watching, the meander to a gelateria which involves another drawn-out deliberation between the hazelnut or the extra dark chocolate (the correct decision is both). Yes, eating out on holiday is a joy.
But this newsletter is an attempt to convince you that eating in on holiday can also be a joy. Having cooked in various Airbnbs and holiday rentals over the years, I have learnt a number of lessons on:
What to bring from home - only two things because I am the sort of person who likes to pack at least one too many shoe options so suitcase space is very limited, but these two things are important
What to buy once you’re out there (and where to buy them) so that you have a delicious time but don’t end up with lots of half-used bits and bobs at the end of your holiday that you’re not sure what to do with
What to cook so that you can do so post-pool/beach/culture-vulture day feeling relaxed, shelling pistachios and sipping wine as you go
I’m sharing all of these lessons below and hope they may convince you of the joys of cooking on holiday.