One of the main reasons for opting for a villa-rental instead of a hotel is the access to a fully equipped gourmet kitchen while away from home. Whether you are cooking yourself or hiring a private chef, we have the best tips for you on how to best prepare for your meals.
Ask About Kitchen Tools Available
When planning a meal, it’s important to think carefully about what equipment you will need to make your recipes from start to finish. Most often, Exotic Estates provides detailed lists and photos of villa amenities but if you ever unsure of inventory, be sure to call your Villa Specialist to confirm. If your host doesn’t have an item that you need, think about ways you might be able to come up with a solution using what is available (using a coffee filter as a sieve). Generally, our villa kitchens are stocked with all the essentials for holiday cooking!
Plan Ahead
Some go-to meals that you easily cook at home aren’t as easy when away on vacation. For example, even a simple spaghetti and home-made meatball might be difficult without all of the spices and herbs that might not be stocked in a vacation rental. We suggest sticking to recipes that require relatively few ingredients to keep it delicious and simple. Thinking about pie for dessert? Skip the mess! Find a local bakery or dessert ship or grab some ice-cream to eat at home.
Stock-Up
As suggested earlier, we recommend skipping the spice aisle as this is where the grocery bill can quickly add up. Instead, grab a few kitchen staples that can be used in a variety of different recipes such as lemons, oils, garlic and fresh herbs from the produce section. These are perfect items for freshly caught fish and can also be used to marinate chicken and steak.
Pre-Mixes
Pre-mixes can be your friend while on vacation! This eliminates the need to buy sugar, flour, and baking powder just to make a couple batches of pancakes or other baked treats. We tell our guests to pick up a bag of high-quality pre-mixes to make pancakes or even to bread chicken. If you are not interested in buying pre-made, you can always make it at home and bring it along in your checked baggage!
Use the BBQ
Warm-weather grilling, and vacation tend to go hand-in-hand! Throwing fresh veggies and meat on the grill is a great way to craft quick meals for the family with very LITTLE cleanup. With everything happening outside, the kitchen will stay clean and you will have less to deal with. Simple recipes can be great for hungry travelers keeping the entire family happy and well-fed.
Pack Essentials
While lugging essential kitchen tools would be impossible for travel to tropical destinations like Hawaii, it might be beneficial for those traveling to some of our top ski-resort destinations. Our most highly recommended tool to bring along would be good, sharp cutting knives. If you are traveling by car, be sure to pack safely. Next on the list would be plastic storage bins and bags, as well as a reusable tote that can double as a grocery bag. We also suggest that our guests throw in their favorite spices and any nuts, grains, pasta, or oats that you and the family eat regularly.
Share the Duties
If you are traveling with other families or the rest of your extended family, plan a meal and divvy up the duties! You can assign your guests different tasks or items to bring/buy to make dinner and cleanup a breeze.
Enjoy Your Vacation!
Renting a vacation home versus staying at a hotel gives you the complete freedom to cook whatever you want, whenever you want! Cooking on vacation can be a lot of fun (as well as a huge money saver). We recommend checking out local farmer’s markets or food stands for fresh and local produce as well as buying your bread from fresh bakeries. Most importantly, relax, enjoy fresh local food, and have fun!
