Making the Most of a Self-Catering Lodge Kitchen

Getting to Know Your Lodge Kitchen

Lodge kitchens vary enormously. Some are proper little galley kitchens with a full oven and a decent worktop; others squeeze a two-ring hob, a combi microwave and a small fridge under a counter. Neither is a problem, but the cooks who enjoy their week most are the ones who spend five minutes taking stock before they unpack the shopping.

Have a quick look at what you are actually working with:

• Is there a grill, and does the grill pan fit under it? Many lodge grills are shallow, so a thick piece of fish may not go under.
• How many rings does the hob have, and do they heat evenly? A weak hob is fine if you boil water in the kettle first.
• Which trays and dishes fit the oven? Take one out and check before you plan a roast.
• How good is the knife, and is there a chopping board that is not a bread board?
• What about the small stuff — a colander, a whisk, a tin opener, a grater, a cafetière?

Expect a tiny freezer compartment and limited cupboard space, and assume there will be salt but very little else. A small bag of your own olive oil, ground pepper, a favourite spice mix and a decent knife transforms a week of cooking.

Plan Versatile Ingredients, Not Set Menus

The trick to self-catering is buying ingredients that turn up in several meals rather than a rigid list of recipes. A bag of spinach goes into an omelette on Monday, a pasta on Wednesday and a salad on Friday. A pack of eggs covers breakfast, a quick lunch and a frittata when the weather turns.

A reliable short list for a lodge week:

• Everyday base: eggs, milk, butter, bread, cheese, pasta, rice, olive oil, stock cubes, tinned beans or chickpeas.
• Fresh and flexible: onions, garlic, cherry tomatoes, peppers, a lemon or two, salad leaves, new potatoes.
• Flavour boosters: mayonnaise, mustard, pesto, olives, a jar of pickles, a bunch of soft herbs.
• Breakfast and snacks: yoghurt, fruit, oatcakes, a good jam from a local shop.

Buy smaller quantities than you would at home. Lodge fridges are notoriously compact, and there is nothing more dispiriting than throwing away half a bag of salad on the last morning.

Shop Local — It Is Half the Holiday

The countryside larder is the best reason to self-cater rather than eat out every night. Village shops, farm shops, butchers, bakeries and roadside honesty boxes are often within a short drive, and their stock is fresher and more interesting than a supermarket run on the way in.

A few practical points. Arrive on a Friday and shop on Saturday morning if you can, when the shelves are fullest and the village is still quiet. Check closing times carefully, as rural shops often shut early and some close entirely on a Sunday afternoon or a weekday. Take a cool bag and a couple of ice blocks so you can pick things up spontaneously without worrying about the drive back.

Ask the person behind the counter what is good that day. A butcher will happily tell you which cut suits a slow oven, and a baker will point you to the loaf that keeps best. Buy one really good cheese rather than three indifferent ones, and let the local produce do the work: ripe tomatoes, new potatoes and a decent sausage need almost nothing doing to them.

Five Meals That Suit a Small Kitchen

None of these need more than one pan or one tray, which matters when there is no dishwasher and the sink is the size of a washing-up bowl.

• One-tray roast: sausages or chicken thighs with halved potatoes, onion wedges and peppers, tossed in oil and roasted until the edges catch.
• No-cook pasta sauce: chopped tomatoes, crushed garlic, olive oil, torn basil and grated cheese stirred through hot pasta.
• The big plate: ham, cheese, bread, pickles, tomatoes and salad — the best dinner for a warm evening on the deck.
• Anything on toast: mushrooms, beans, scrambled eggs or a tin of soup with cheese on top.
• Fridge frittata: whatever vegetables and cheese are left, cooked in one frying pan and finished under the grill.

Line trays with foil to save washing up, and remember that a lodge oven often runs hot, so check things a little earlier than you would at home.

Using Up What Is Left

Cook deliberately towards the end of the week. A roast chicken on Wednesday gives sandwiches on Thursday and a pasta or salad on Friday. Odd vegetables go into a soup or a frittata. A heel of bread becomes croutons, or a toastie for the journey home.

On the last morning, use the eggs, cheese and bread rather than carrying them back, and give the kitchen a proper tidy — washing up left in the sink is the one thing that takes the shine off a lovely week.