Food available for travellers has improved enormously since the days of stale, white bread sandwiches, a staple of post-war station buffets, kept too long on display and only available in a choice of industrial ham or industrial cheese filling. Despite the improved choice, I still prefer to make my own food – it’s cheaper, tastes better and you know what’s gone into it.
The best food for travelling can be eaten easily, preferably with the minimum of crumb drop. It should travel well without too much special packing, and it should be satisfying and delicious, whether it’s intended for a car journey or a long train ride.
Something to drink, even if only bottled water, should also be to hand, or if travelling by car, plan a stop somewhere just off the road where one can stroll in pleasant countryside and either light a camping stove and make tea or buy comforting hot drinks.
Rather than relying on chocolate bars, take fruit in season – something that is easy to eat. Cherries are especially good in summer, plums in autumn and apples in winter. Alernatively, you could make a Banana and Stem Ginger Cake or some Almond Granola Bars or Flapjacks.
Makes 8 pieces/serves 2–4
1 part-baked ciabatta loaf
3–4 tablespoons pesto, such as Pesto Genovese
1 small handful of rocket leaves
100g Italian cooked ham with herbs, thinly sliced
100g Gorgonzola dolce, rind removed
These sandwiches are known to my family as ‘motorway sandwiches’, because they are a favourite choice for long car journeys, but don’t restrict them to this. They are great for country walks or picnics. In fact, they are good for anywhere where you might need a delicious, densely flavoured sandwich. (Shooter’s Sandwich, is made in a similar way, and is also worth considering for a long journey, especially one that involves a scenic lunch spot.)
Ingredients need to be chosen carefully to give a filling with a pleasant balance of the relatively salty and relatively mild, and a moisture content that both helps to hold the sandwich together and makes it good to eat.
Bake the ciabatta as instructed on the packet and leave to cool. Cut the loaf in half lengthways. Spread the cut sides with pesto. Distribute the rocket leaves over the base, followed by the ham.
Layer the cheese in slices over the ham, then put the top on the loaf and press lightly with your hand so that everything sticks together.
Wrap tightly in clingfilm, foil or greaseproof paper, as snugly as possible. Put the whole thing in the fridge overnight, preferably between two boards or plates with a small weight on top such as a tin of tomatoes.
Next day, unwrap the sandwich, leaving the sandwich on top of the wrapping, and carefully cut it into eight diagonal slices. Rewrap tightly. Remember to take a few pieces of kitchen paper for greasy fingers and in case of spills.
The sandwiches can be made in individual ciabatta rolls instead of one long one. Wrap them separately, and tightly, in cling film. As long as this is done tightly, pressing is not essential. A baguette can be used instead of the ciabatta although it makes more crumbs and is harder to chew.
Experiment with alternative fillings, remembering the principle of something to spread on the bread, a little salad, and two main ingredients that complement each other. Other possibilities for spreads include Tapenade (see below), spread thinly, Avocado Salsa, a little French dressing or butter, or a sprinkle of olive oil.
• Watercress, sliced hard-boiled egg and Avocado Salsa
• French dressing, rocket, spianata Romana (a very spicy salami) or thinly sliced chorizo and a mild cheese such as Toma Piemontese.
• Tapenade (below), cold chicken, avocado and thinly sliced tomato.
Makes about 125g
75g black olives with stones
25g capers, drained
2 anchovy fillets
1 garlic clove
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1–2 teaspoons brandy (optional), to taste
leaves of 2 basil sprigs (optional)
My tapenade recipe from comes from the Languedoc. It is salty and powerfully flavoured, and you will find that a little goes a long way. As well as being a good spread in sandwiches, tapenade can be used as a dip to accompany vegetable crudités, and it also goes well with eggs, fish and vegetables. Don’t be tempted to use ready-pitted olives because where you have no pits you also have no flavour. The brandy and basil are not essential but they help to mellow and lift the sauce.
Using a small sharp knife, cut the flesh off the olives, discarding the pits. Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and whizz to make a thick paste.
Makes 8 large muffins
80g butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
200g courgette
275g self-raising flour
½ teaspoon salt
a pinch of dried chilli flakes
200g feta cheese, crumbled
1 handful of fresh mint leaves, coarsely chopped, or a generous 1 teaspoon dried mint
2 medium eggs, beaten
175ml milk, as needed
These savoury muffins are good for journeys and picnics generally. Take a few cherry tomatoes to eat with them. I found some miniature moulds made out of paper, which made loaf-shaped muffins. They made a nice change from the more regular round ones.
Preheat the oven to 200ºC and line an 8-cup muffin tin with paper cases or put 8 small paper loaf moulds on a baking sheet. Brush the inside of the cases with a little melted butter.
Grate the courgette coarsely. Put it in a clean tea towel and wring hard to extract as much liquid as possible.
Put the flour, salt and chilli flakes in a bowl. Add the feta, mint, butter, beaten eggs and courgette, and mix well. Gradually add the milk and stir in until the mixture has a dropping consistency.
Fill the cases to about two-thirds full. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Eat warm or cold.
