Bayou Classic Single Burner Patio Stove

This is the stove I have settled on, so far. The price is right (~$50), it is 13′ tall, 16″X16″ square, plenty of BTU.  With a screen to keep wind off of the flame this looks like the one burner solution. The cast iron fry pan that will be going on the journey is 10″ in diameter. This stove has a 16″ top.

I am still working on whittling down the kitchen. It is hard. I have been a private chef for the last 8 years. It is time to skip fenugreek and 6-8 different kinds of chilies. And do I really need a mandolin slicer? The thought of leaving the molcajete has me nervous. I do not need a potato ricer. I may not need many things that I use here on a daily basis.

There will be times that I will not want to set up the table (where is the table is being stored?) and the tarp. I need to be able to cook on the tailgate. I will need propane, water, food, and this stove readily available. Coffee in the morning is essential. But for lunch and dinner I can make do with crackers. Maybe instant coffee for those non-set-up days, and that can be made with water from the jug.

This obsessing with the kitchen comes from an experience I had in South America (see this post for a full explanation) and the jobs I have had. I know it will all work out in the end, and I will discard extraneous cooking stuff as I travel. Until then there is all of this delicious planning to do.