Sunday, April 12, 2009

Stocking Your Pantry

Becoming a good cook relies on three important components: the knowledge, the equipment, and the ingredients.

Having several basic ingredients on hand is critical to help create impromptu meals, or to be prepared for planned meals. Many people find it expensive to cook a great meal because they must buy many ingredients, like vinegars and oils, which might otherwise be found in a well-stocked pantry.

There are some great ways to save money on pantry items such as buying from specialty stores in your area. I have a local spice shop where I can buy hundreds of dried herbs and spices in bulk ranging from an eighth of an ounce up to several pounds. This way I can buy a very small amount of something I don’t use often, like cardamom, or larger amounts of my favorites like cumin or thyme. I save a bundle this way instead of buying the herb and spice bottles from the grocery store.

Nearly everything has a limited shelf life so it’s important to think about how much of an ingredient you might use before time runs out. Most herbs, spices, and oils for example are best used within one year. I try to visit my entire pantry about every six months to replace old ingredients or to make note of items that I need to use quickly.

It goes without saying that your food is only as good as your ingredients. I always try to buy the best quality items that I can afford. A cheap olive oil doesn’t taste as good as a quality extra virgin does, but this doesn’t mean that you have to mortgage the ol’ homestead just to buy a bottle either. Do what feels most comfortable to you.

Another great way to save a little money on some ingredients is to buy whole spices and grind them yourself. You can pick up a mortar and pestle at many kitchen stores or spice shops. It really adds just a little time to grind things like pepper, cloves, or cardamom just before cooking with them. For most spices this not only greatly adds to their shelf life, but also yields a richer flavor from them. Whole nutmeg has an amazing flavor when it’s grated on a micro grater – give it a try next time!

I’m not suggesting that anyone run out to buy all these ingredients immediately to have on hand, but I find that it helps to refer to a list like this when thinking about the things that I like to keep in my pantry.  Knowing the kind of food that you like to cook helps with building a pantry. A person who cooks primarily Italian dishes would have a very different pantry from someone who cooks Vietnamese dishes. I’ve included some basic ingredients, but then you’ll also find some pantry ideas for specific cuisines too. Try building your own list to help build your pantry and keep it organized!

 

Herbs and Spices

Kosher salt

Coarse sea salt

Fine sea salt

Specialty salts (grey, red algae, smoked, Murray River, etc.)

Black peppercorns

Green pepper corns

Pink peppercorns

Basil

Bay leaves

Cardamom

Cayenne

Ceylon Cinnamon

Chipotle, ground or whole

Coriander

Cumin

Curry powders (yellow, green, etc.)

Dill weed

Fennel seeds

Garam masala

Ginger, ground

Herbes de Provence blend

Marjoram

Mustard seed, yellow and brown

Nutmeg, whole

Oregano

Paprika (sweet, hot, smoked, etc.)

Red pepper  flakes

Rosemary

Star anise

Tarragon

Thyme

Oils and Vinegars

Extra virgin olive oil

Canola oil

Cooking spray

White vinegar

Apple cider vinegar

White wine vinegar

Red wine vinegar

Rice vinegar

 

Other ingredients

Baking powder

Baking soda

Cane sugar

Brown sugar

Confectioner’s sugar

Cornstarch

Vanilla extract

 (NOT imitation!)

Various fruit/nut extracts

Honey

Soy sauce

Worcestershire sauce

Hot sauce(s)

Dijon mustard

Yellow mustard

Pasta

Rice (white, brown,

 arborio, etc.)

Oats (rolled, quick,

 steel cut)

Canned beans

Canned tomatoes

Fruit preserves

Stocks (chicken,

 beef, veg)

Onions (white, yellow,

 red, shallot)

Garlic

Potatoes (russet,

 Yukon Gold, red, purple)

4 comments:

  1. Thrilled to find someone shares same philosophy that knowledge, equipment and ingredients make a good cook. Think you might find my recipe-free approach to wok cooking appealing and adaptable to your budget cooking.

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  2. Thanks for the compliment! I'm excited about learning from you. I bought a wok a few years ago, but just haven't put it to good use yet. I'm following your blog and your tweets.

    Cheers!
    Nathan

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  3. Ok, I've got everything on the list but cardamom and Garam Masala ~ what in the world do you use them for??

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  4. Hey Tezra! Sounds like you have a well-stocked pantry! Cardamom and garam masala are both generally used in Indian cooking, though cardamom is a little more versatile and used in Scandinavian cooking. Great in spice cookies, breads, rice, etc. Garam masala is a spice blend usually added near or at the end of cooking a dish. Think curry dishes, tagine dishes. GM doesn't have a long shelf life, so it's not worth stocking unless you plan to use it quickly. It is easily made from other common ingredients though. ~N

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