 Poster: A snowHead
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Will be self catering for our ski holiday.
Looking for inspiration on what other cook while away! Any thoughts? Really want as simple as possible so I am not in the kitchen all evening! Any ideas on packets / tins I can get here to make things easy would also be useful!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Pasta and sauce! Cream, garlic, white wine, bacon. Cheese
Risotto - rice, stock, white wine (again), mushrooms. Cheese (again).
Lentils in a tin + posh saucisses.
Omelette and salad from a bag and stuff from tins.
Pad out with French bread, pate for starters, cheat puddings, cheese and lots of wine.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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What country?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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A few suggestions:
Decent steaks. Big bag of ready washed salad. Fresh baguettes, maybe a good olive oil to dip it in. Lots of red wine.
Sausage and lentil casserole (take vacuum-packed ready-to-go Puy lentils from home)
Baked potatoes and bowls of stuff to eat with them - e.g. grated cheese, sour cream, tuna (from here, tinned) Another big bag of salad. Quick salsa - tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc.
Confit of duck (tinned, buy in local supermarket or take from here if you're driving, to save local shopping time/carrying)
Take with you enough long-grained rice, a little tin of coconut cream and a small jar of a good curry paste. Buy chicken breasts, onion, and spinach locally = very quick curry. Chicken breasts might be quite expensive - sweet potato will add nutrition and bulk it up.
Should be plenty of veg and fresh fruit available in resort shop.
Get other adults in the party to contribute to the cooking!
Take a decent knife. But don't forget to bring it home with you.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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A few suggestions:
Decent steaks. Big bag of ready washed salad. Fresh baguettes, maybe a good olive oil to dip it in. Lots of red wine.
Sausage and lentil casserole (take vacuum-packed ready-to-go Puy lentils from home)
Baked potatoes and bowls of stuff to eat with them - e.g. grated cheese, sour cream, tuna (from here, tinned) Another big bag of salad. Quick salsa - tomatoes, peppers, onions, etc.
Confit of duck (tinned, buy in local supermarket or take from here if you're driving, to save local shopping time/carrying)
Take with you enough long-grained rice, a little tin of coconut cream and a small jar of a good curry paste. Buy chicken breasts, onion, and spinach locally = very quick curry. Chicken breasts might be quite expensive - sweet potato will add nutrition and bulk it up.
Should be plenty of veg and fresh fruit available in resort shop.
Get other adults in the party to contribute to the cooking!
Take a decent knife. But don't forget to bring it home with you.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Take with you...Jar of curry sauce (Vindaloo or Phal), small packet of Bazmati Rice, twin pack of Naan bread, tube/tin of Tomato puree, 2 tins of chopped tomatoes, tin of kidney beans, packet of pasta (Penne or similar), tin of tuna, dish washer tablets.
Buy (locally) onions, tomatoes, peppers, chillies, garlic, mince and chicken (or turkey) breast, steak and oven chips, veg oil, butter.
You might be able to get the tinned toms, tinned tuna, pasta and rice in resort if you're flying and pushed for weight allowances. 'Obtain' some sachets of salt and pepper from a mountain resturaunt on the first lunchtime.
From that you can make...
1) Chicken Phal (or Vinny), rice & naan bread. Clears the sinuses.
2) Chilli Con Carne & rice. Tart it up with chopped toms & chillies, and perhaps some sour crème and Tortillas (if you can find them in resort).
3) Spag Bol. Every Uni-students staple recipe.
4) Tuna chilli pasta. (Tuna, Tinned toms, Onions, Peppers, Chillies, fresh toms all chopped up and fried together).
5) Steak and chips, with fried mushrooms & tomatoes. Get some Dijon mustard on it too.
6) My speciality Soupzotto. Packet of Knorr soup (Poule au Pot or similar), cook as per instructions but add a cup of rice. Boil it down till most of the liquid is gone.
7) Eat out on the last night so there is no washing up. Or better still stuff yourself silly at lunchtime with Cote de Boeuf and you won't feel like anything to eat that evening anyway.
Reckon I could knock up all the above in 20 minutes. Longest thing would be waiting for the oven chips to cook. Most apartments have a dish washer - use it. If you have to buy dishwasher tablets in resort, make sure you send someone who speaks/reads the local language to get them. Don't use washing powder tablets by mistake. Don't ask 
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Wed 19-01-22 1:24; edited 1 time in total
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@pam w, is the tinned confit of duck any good? I've always wondered.
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Good idea here. We have an issue with 2 of us and one being veggie. Normally I’d do pasta but at the mo he can’t eat it so it’s been ‘creative’
Bought him a rotisserie chicken and
I’ve gone for couscous and canned veggies (typical French staple) him with chicken
Nice jar ratatouille and rice, his with chicken.
Steak and salad (I finished couscous and veg)
Takeaway pizza.
I brought herbs and spices with me, plus decent coffee, moka pot (stove top coffee maker) and milk frother! I am a coffee snob and without that I’m ruined.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@denfinella, yes. Its brilliant and I always bring it home. Getting it out of the fat is a chore so i put it in the dishwasher for a bit so it melts then tip it off into a jar to save for roasties
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@Nadenoodlee, doesn't it get a bit soapy?
Canned confit is a good base for home made crispy duck (as French Chinese don't generally do crispy duck, just crispy duck skin  ).
Depending where you're going, all things mentioned are likely to be available locally. Last year there was a grand fête in the supermarkets as - finally - we could buy tinned tuna.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Roast chicken from the inevitable rotisserie then make a quick stock from the remains and use that for risotto the next night, doesn’t take long. We always take a mix up of spice for chilli and one for a curry or one of those blue dragon packets that has base sauce and spices, they are OK. Then augment with veg or meat. We tend not to eat out as we’ve a dairy and gluten free party member which isn’t great in France ! Nice wine and I actually enjoy cooking while I’m away. Anything easy is good.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Some Ideas :-
1) Pasta night (take pasta & cooking sauce, bulk with local ingredients)
2) Fajita wrap night (take fajita wrap kit, bulk out with local ingredients)
3) rice night (could be risotto, a curry or a mexican rice kit - could even do 2x different rice nights)
4) Raclette/fondu night (lots of places will bundle the equipement & food on a PpP basis in resort)
5) eat out night (Treat yourself)
6) burger/steak hache night
7) Poulet Roti night (You should someone somewhere selling rotisserie chicken & Potatoes all in a rotisserie machine. You will possibly have to pre-order due to popularity)
 We usually have a pizza night on arrival!
Lots of supermarkets sell croque monsieur/madam (cant remember which is which) to help with breakfast
Lots of places also have a bakery delivery!
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Just a word of warning, not all apartments have an oven… but agree with Chili (even a veggie one, much quicker), spag bol, pasta. Ready meals from the freezer. Cooking is less of a faff than shopping. We usually eat out on the first and last night to make things easier.
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You know it makes sense.
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@Tiefschneetaucher, very good point. The studios we currently let out have only 2 ring hobs and no ovens. Mind you, they aren't really designed for catering.
On the other hand, the apartments we used to let out had well equipped kitchens inc. dishwashers. Worth checking.
Unless you are driving, I still haven't seen anything as a "take with you" that I can't buy 2 minutes away, including e.g. fajita kits (who ever buys kits? the spices are minging).
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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These are all great! Thank you!
For those that have gone and come back already - any issue with taking jars of food like curry with milk products in as technically we aren’t allowed now are we?
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Elsie80 wrote: |
These are all great! Thank you!
For those that have gone and come back already - any issue with taking jars of food like curry with milk products in as technically we aren’t allowed now are we? |
We
Drove so nonissue not sure if you are flying
Tbh the smallest of supermarkets have pretty much everything. I didn’t take ‘food’ just coffee and salt/pepper/spices.
You can get pasta, sauces, rice, couscous, all dairy products etc
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Elsie80, We self cater every year and take over light packets/sauce mixes, but don't take over jars which are heavy. When you factor in the cost per kg to put something in the hold with Easyjet, it is cheaper to buy it in a shop over there! We take bits like stock cubes, packet sauces, small jar Pesto, dishwasher tablets, fajita mix etc. Then cook family favourites-spag bol, korma curry, tuna/bacon/chicken pesto pasta, take away pizza/roast chicken, bacon and egg, etc. All supplemented by bodyweight quantities of baguette.
+1 on checking whether the apartment has a proper oven when booking it!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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@Elsie80, if you're thinking of taking curry sauce, have a look in the 'World Foods' section of your local supermarket (I use Tesco). They have some very authentic sauces packed in foil packets rather than jars.
Technically, no animal products or dairy allowed to be taken into the EU, with very few exceptions.
When we had small kids and flew to our ski trip, I used to put a few Knorr packet soups in my luggage and some mini boxes of cereal, just so there was something they could eat in a hurry if we arrived late. We could usually grab a baguette at the motorway services when the coach stopped.
I rarely take anything other than our picnic lunch with us now. I'll save the room in the cool box and visit the supermarket when we stop for fuel. Enough in there for first night dinner (usually filled fresh pasta with pesto, or a carbonara), the all-important wine, some pate and cheese, and enough to make a dinner on the second night. After all, you don't want to be spending the first day worrying about getting the shopping done.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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For something fun with minimal work try a Raclette. The type with a metal grill on top of electric elements and small pans underneath. If the apartment does not have a machine there will likely be more than one 'deli' or cheese shop near by that will loan one free of charge when you buy your cheese. (You may if you don`t already, want to take an extension lead with you so that the socket to table distance can be met, but again these often come with the raclette machine)
It`s a very social end to a day and involves minimum effort by the cook.
Put on a load of potatoes (don`t bother to peel them) to boil, (I often just put the drained cooked pan of potatoes on the table on a mat which saves washing up) get the machine hot and let everyone sat round the table cook their own meat and/or veg. on the top of the grill whilst melting the cheese underneath (to serve over the potatoes) in the little pans.
You can choose a different meat each meal, (duck or steak works really well) or do a mixed grill on just one night. The meat is traditionally cut into small strips (often available ready sliced in shops) but we`ve sometimes not bothered to find or prep strips of meat, and done whole thinnish steaks on the top. You can do veg such as aubergine, onions, and peppers or serve with a bag of 'ready' salad.
Variations on the above involve the same potato component but served with dried meats, probably historically more traditional. On occasions when we have not been able to get 'fresh' meat we`ve done the variant with dried meats and even put the dried meats on the grill to briefly cook!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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As the sherpas say, "Dal Bhat power go 24 hour". Plus it's cheap, nutritious, delicious, and can be made without mess in two pots in even the most rudimentary kitchens.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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We do quite a lot of the casserole type things mentioned above - take a slow cooker as drive down with the first night's one frozen in it. One additional point is we've started taking some tabs, rinse aid and salt for the dishwasher. Those in SC accommodation get no love and if it means they wash everything first time for the week it saves a lot of hassle.
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If you are driving or getting a private transfer that will allow a stop, then go to one of the big supermarkets BEFORE you get to the resort. There will be much more choice and will cost much less. Rotisserie chicken and potatoes always good for a night when you want a break - we usually get extra and just fry up left overs next day with some frozen peas and anything else that is still in the fridge. Eggs always good to have for breakfasts and dinner - omelettes, stir fried rice (with left over chicken) and just plain boiled eggs and baguette in the morning.
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We have a good lunch on the mountain - a proper sit down 2/3 course meal. If you make an early start and ski hard you will get more miles in than most before lunch, especially before ski schools start. And then a few runs in the afternoon before apres drinks. Evenings is then mostly what we call "snacky tea" - meats, cheeses, salads, bread etc. bought locally.
Raclette/fondue is also very easy to organise, and little washing up. Check if your apartment has fondue kit, if it does you will be able to buy packs in the supermarket for it.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Casinos canned tartiflette is surprisingly good. Team with a baguette and salad for a zero-hassle lazy dinner.
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My family have a penchant for a dish we call Nicki Nacki pasta. Pasta, sauce, nacki sausages (boak) chopped into bits, emmental cheese on top. Grim times.
Slightly more sophisticated and quick to make is a carbonara (remember to take a metal donut to scrub the pan!).
If you're organised and up early enough, get a casserole/stew in the oven on a low heat before you leave in the morning.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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When you're likely to be back in the apartment at 5, there's plenty of time to do the "tea, baguette, cheese, jam" thing (we rarely did big lunches on the slopes, so everyone was always starving) have a shower and give yourself masses of time to cook a simple meal for 8 pm, drink in hand. The "kitchen" is invariably 18" from the "dining area" and a few feet from the "sitting area" so everyone is together, and it's social. Having no oven is a massive challenge though - I'd not knowingly rent an apartment without one. On the other hand, I had no micro-wave in mine (wasn't prepared to give up that much work surface) and rarely missed it.
If you take nothing else, take your favourite tea bags and a decent knife. I would always take some tea-towels too, as I get through a lot and can't stand them festering round breeding bacteria.
I agree that shopping is far more of a pain than cooking. It's worth some planning ahead and even if you fly, there's room for some tins/jars/packets. Who needs 20kg of stuff for a week's skiing?
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| denfinella wrote: |
| @pam w, is the tinned confit of duck any good? I've always wondered. |
Tinned Confit duck is the food of the gods - and was chatting with an ex-kitchen seasonare back in Dec. who said his chef scoffed at tinned confit...till he spent all day making from scratch week 1 of the season and did a taste-off with tinned ones. They did tinned every week from then on.
If you're going to France:
- Most resort supermarkets will sell rotisserie chickens, though you need to order them a day in advance. Just veg. to worry about then.
- You'll also find either supermarkets and/or cheese shops hiring fondu pots (assuming your accomodation doesn't have one), usually with the cheese and bread. Just add a garlic clove and white wine and you're done in 5-10 min.
- Pasta carbonara - cheese, lardons, pasta, bit of cream to cheat. One big pot and a small mixing bowl and you're basically done in the time it takes to cook the pasta.
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@Timmycb5, I really wanted that recipe to involve a crushed up bag of nice'n'spicy NikNaks...
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You know it makes sense.
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Great post from @pam w just above. Very similar to how we do stuff although for us madelaine is the big thing with the tea and cheese comes at the end of the evening sometime around when the board games and card games come out.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Richard_Sideways, That would probably make it more sophisticated.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@Timmycb5, everything's better with Nice'n'Spicy NikNaks. EVERYTHING.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| pam w wrote: |
If you take nothing else, take your favourite tea bags and a decent knife.
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Best advice on this thread.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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| musher wrote: |
| pam w wrote: |
If you take nothing else, take your favourite tea bags and a decent knife.
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Best advice on this thread. |
+1
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I take a knife sharpener and ruthlessly bring their entire cutlery drawer into service 
God help the next punters - they'll lose fingers!
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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@Klamm Franzer, actually, I too have started to take my knife sharpener, through nervousness at the possibility of forgetting my own favourite knife!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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| Klamm Franzer wrote: |
I take a knife sharpener and ruthlessly bring their entire cutlery drawer into service
God help the next punters - they'll lose fingers! |
That's actually not a bad idea!
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We have a dedicated holiday kitchen knife that gets sharpened and then packed away with the rest of the kit at the end of the season. I know that seems overkill but after forgetting to take one a few times, and also losing one of my favourite knives, seemed the best option. And shows how much I value having a decent knife!
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Slightly off topic, but with the restrictions in place for meat & dairy being taken into France what local cheese would be a good substitute for a mature Cheddar - or is that actually available post Brexit?
Planning to stop at a decent sized supermarket in Chalons sur Soane prior to final leg of journey up to St Martin de Belleville and fingers crossed for a suitable Cheddar substitute.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@oldsnowy, Beaufort if in France
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FAQ
