LA: One thing that I’ve enjoyed in your writing in the past is that you’ve even guided people about how to cook in Airbnbs, correct?
YF: Yes. At the start of this cookbook, I was working out of Airbnbs, and what you learn quickly is, there are so many different kinds of stove tops and ovens. For one of them, I had to light the pilot of an oven, which, I don’t know if you’ve ever done, I’ve never done. I was by myself.
LA: No, I have not.
YF: And I was in the Campo, which is a rural area, and I didn’t even have an address. It was Google coordinates on a map. Even if I had to call for help, I wouldn’t even know how to say where I was. I was in this place, lighting the pilot, and so terrified that I was going to light the entire place on fire
LA: I’m imagining just with a matchbox ducked under the-
YF: I’m sticking my hand in there and being like, “Oh my God, please don’t burn,” there’s flames. Did I turn it too high? I have no idea what I’m doing.
LA: You’re like, “Suddenly those luxury hotels don’t look so bad.”
YF: I know. I was like, “What have I asked for? This is stupid, a terrible idea.” I think it really narrowed down, A, the tools that I use. In this cookbook especially, there’s only a handful of spices, a handful of tools. You can make anything in the book with what you’ll probably find in an Airbnb, or something that is even relatively stocked, not even well stocked. It taught me a lot. How to be a more flexible cook, how to be more understanding, and also, the need to teach people to pay attention to what’s happening in their pan, because that’s going to give you more of a clue of what’s really going on than following a heat level. Stove tops, they range so much. Some are super powerful, some are a little bit weaker.
LA: Which, honestly, it all sounds like great rules of thumb for travel in general, being flexible, being open to surprises, not trying to control everything, because you can’t. In terms of ingredients, what are your go-tos for stocking up your Airbnb kitchen? How do you navigate a foreign supermarket?
YF: It does depend where you are in the world, but I will say usually, you are able to find an olive oil, or a butter, a vinegar I find very handy, or lemon, something to add acid. I usually have some kind of cheese, or a pasta, or a rice, depending on where you are. Then, I just love getting fresh ingredients. I think you can use these pantry staples, and then, if you are going to your market, or to a supermarket, I would buy whatever vegetables they have, and then let that guide your cooking. I usually have Parmesan, a wedge you can usually find, or some kind of cheese for a creamy element, and fresh herbs I love. I think wherever you are, finding whatever herbs they have, that adds a lot to the dish. I would really let yourself be guided by whatever you find, and hopefully, your Airbnb has salt and pepper, and some spices.