ON THE MOVE

Cuisine art director Fiona Lascelles crowdsources essentials for a good road trip

Fiona Lascelles gets tips on the essentials for a road trip

Photographer Amber-jayne Bain insists on car salt from the Hauraki Salt Company, for when the fish and chips are too lightly salted, and also tomato sauce. A must-have is a good serrated knife for when you are staying somewhere like a motel or Airbnb because the knives always suck. Editor Kelli Brett reckons that road trips are the only time she ever drinks Coke. And a packet of good crisps to go with it. “I think crisps were designed for eating while driving...” (see below).

One of the reasons our road trips take a little longer is the challenge of finding a random CD from the local charity store when stopping for coffee or lunch. For those lucky enough to still have a CD player in their car.

Copy editor Tracy Whitmey loves maps over GPS, checking out the whole region not just the road rolling right in front; Cuisine co-owner Vanessa Stranan never leaves home without her pillow and favourite pair of sunnies. Before setting off, both editor Kelli Brett and photographer Aaron Mclean put out requests on Instagram for some local knowledge of where to go.

Jane Lyons & Will Bowman of The Next Meal rely on some good podcasts for the journey: BBC Good Food, Desert Island Discs and The Regenerative Agriculture Podcast by John Kempf.

Cullensville Gold from Cranky Goat, a great little washedrind cheese, with a crusty loaf for a roadside snack, cos I’ll feel like a Cranky Goat by the time I’m allowed to travel again.

My absolute must haves: a bottle opener (found in a charity store, refer to Collectors Anonymous); a tote bag for those market finds, such as this Guerrilla Girls tote from Auckland City Art Gallery; a keep cup, R2D2 from Toasted Coffee Roasters; snake lollies from The Natural Confectionery Co; Porlex hand grinder from Coffee Supreme. We don’t travel light.