Some people see vacation as an escape from cooking, but I often find that time in the kitchen is much more relaxing when I'm on a trip. Unfortunately, most rental kitchens aren't stocked with the right tools and ingredients to make vacation cooking what it should be: simple, flexible and above all, pleasurable. But you can ensure your own happiness by packing these ten items on your next trip.

I must confess to eating this entire bowl of soba by myself. I didn't share. I didn't look up from the bowl. I just inhaled. Fresh buckwheat soba is an entirely different food group from the dried soba we usually buy at the store. It's like night and day. The nutty aroma of the buckwheat, the perfect chewiness of the noodles, the way they slip perfectly around a chopstick — fresh soba needs little more than some dashi and a splash of soy sauce to be the perfect meal. Here's how you can make it at home.

Last August, I spent a relaxing week vacationing on North Carolina's Outer Banks with a friend (and fellow personal chef) and our husbands. Away from our work kitchen and surrounded by fresh seafood and summer's best produce, cooking was a real joy instead of part of the daily grind. No complicated menus, no stress, just a week of straightforward, satisfying meals made from scratch. The vacation kitchen is where easy-to-memorize recipes like this classic blue cheese dressing really shine.

Bo and Lindsey are right at home in the Old Cloverdale historic district of Montgomery, Alabama, but that doesn't mean they don't enjoy seeing the world! Ten years ago Lindsey moved to Montgomery as part of the city's historic preservation team and met lifetime resident Bo at a neighborhood house party. Since then, this travel-loving couple have enjoyed many trips around the world together, always bringing back flavor and recipe ideas they can't wait to try out in their historic home's remodeled kitchen. 

This kitchen has a distinct Scandinavian aesthetic, and feels completely accessible, effortless, functional, and cozy. Love the look? Want to emulate some of it in your own kitchen? Here are sources to help you get the look. If you recognize other elements in the kitchen, please fill in the blanks in the comments! See another photo below:

Q: I've been helping my mother clean up her kitchen. Because her kitchen was so disorganized before, she would buy groceries she already had. For the most part, I've been able to use up all the excess, except for one ingredient: powdered sugar. 

The smartest idea came across my desk today: a tool to help give parents peace of mind when taking kids on vacation or packing them off to a field trip with supervising adults who may not be aware of allergies. These temporary tattos are a cheery little tool for making sure the right info stays with the right kid. 

From the equipment to the grounds, hotel room coffee can leave much to be desired. Some travelers opt to bring their own coffee beans, an Aeropress, or other brewing supplies. Here a simple solution that doesn't require you to pack anything — but still gives you a much better tasting cup of joe.

Looking for a pretty way to serve drinks at your parties this summer? Try this glass stacked beverage server. Three different sections means you can serve three different drinks without taking up a ton of space. (Plus, all those drinks together just looks so pretty!)

Do you have a travel limit — the number of days you can be on vacation before you start feeling that slight tug to return back home? My personal limit is somewhere around six or seven days. That's about the time I start to think about how much I've spent, worry about how much I've eaten out, and generally just miss the routine of life at home. There is however, a way to extend this limit. It all starts with taking time to cook a meal while on vacation. Are you doing this yet?