Items Wanted on Journey

Packing up a family of six to move half way around the world can present some challenges. Most of which are to do with what to bring and what to leave behind. The cost of shipping, not to mention the hassle of all the stuff, can be challenging if not daunting. When travelling with small children or children who are reluctant to move, means you need to bring somethings that you may not have, just to make the transition easier on them.

I decided for myself, I would bring a few of my favourite cook books. While packing to move I set aside some of my cookbooks to go through. From there I would figure out which ones to bring and which ones I would just take a few recipes and put them in my newly acquired Moleskine recipe journal. I also put in the box a few of the new mugs I had just made. I wanted some hand made touches to make us all feel a little bit more at home when we arrived.

In the madness of moving, said box, went missing. I mean I know where it is, it is in storage, but where in the storage room, I am not exactly sure. (My box of shoes made a similar journey, sadly I was able to easily locate them before I left.) So, on my last day before I left Victoria I ran into Russell Books, where I had some trade-in credit and quickly grabbed two of my favourite cookbooks as well as one new one, meant to challenge me.

These are the books I brought;

Whitewater cooks at Home

Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

The Artful Vegan

What I failed to take into consideration is that our West Coast vegetarian diet is heavily influence by Middle Eastern, Asian and Central American cooking. Did you see mediterranean on this, no I didn't think so, which means, many of the ingredients are hard if not impossible to find in a small town Italian grocery store. Perhaps destiny was trying to tell me something when my box of cookbooks made their way into storage.

I had a pretty nicely stocked kitchen in Canada. I enjoy cooking. I have pots and pans I really like, a kitchenaid I love, some nice little tools, and some smoking knives. The knives came with me and let me tell you, it is worth it. I love having good knives around, it seems to make cooking all that much easier. I did pack a box with my pans in the event I feel that I want them sent to me. In the meantime, I am making do and still enjoy the cooking. I love all the fresh ingredients and I love being forced out of the box, and the bit of rut our dinners had become. I know my children are missing three sister burritos, but they don't seem to be complaining, so all is good.

However I decided I would put together a list of things I would happily accept if someone is coming this way:

1. Maple Syrup - you can get here but in small expensive quantities.

2. Peanut butter - the kind that is only peanuts with a bit of salt.

3. Some sort of cilantro (coriander, coriandolo)

4. Chipotle peppers in Adobo sauce.

5. Frozen fruit, (okay, obviously I don't want someone to bring that)

6. Measuring cups and spoons. (I am too lazy to keep looking for them, I know they are here)

7. Vanilla Rooiboos tea.

Wow, that list is a lot shorter than I thought it would be. Okay perhaps I could add to it later. Either I am adjusting well, or not thinking well. I hope it is the former.

I could make a long list of the items that I was grateful that I brought along. Books for the children in English, toys, my knives of course, my knitting, craft supplies for the girls and most importantly, my favourite mug, which I carried on!