A Well Stocked Pantry

Basic Pantry Items for Every Day Home Cooking

A well-stocked pantry is one of the first keys to successful home cooking. If you have what you need when you need it, you will cook that meal at home.

“I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.”
– Julia Child

Why stock your pantry?

• you will save money as
  • you’re less likely to order in, run to the nearest grocery store for fast, convenience or processed food, or go out for “a bite” to some fast food place
  • you can buy the basics when they are on sale and not have to pay higher prices when you need them by planning ahead
  • you can shop for what is in season and plan your menu around unexpected specials you find at the market
• you will save time as
  • grocery shopping is easier when you have a regular supply of basic items: meal planning means only having to buy the specific items for that dish, not every item
  • if you plan your meals around seasonal food, you can also buy a substitute that is in season to replace something that many not be in season for a specific recipe (saves money. too)
• you will be healthier as
  • you will know what you are eating and will be eating real food prepared from scratch in your own kitchen
  • prepackaged, processed “food items” with preservatives and additives are not meant to be building blocks for a healthy body and should not be put into one

  

The Baking Basics:

• flours (unbleached white) and grains to mill other flours; I have a Thermomix that mills grains, legumes and nuts
• sugars (brown, cane or beet, turbinado or demerara); my Thermomix mills granulated sugar to powdered sugar (avoiding the fillers) and to berry sugar
• other sweeteners: honey, maple syrup
• nuts (almonds, walnuts, pecans, pine nuts)
• dried fruit (currants, apricots, dates, cranberries, cherries, blueberries, ginger)
• dark and white chocolate chunks or callets
• fats: lard, butter, olive oil, sesame oil, nut oils

• baking aides:
  • baking powder
  • baking soda
  • salt (table, kosher, fleur de sel, grey salt, finishing salts)
  • pepper (a variety is nice)
  • cream of tartar
  • corn starch
  • cocoa (good quality like Valrhona)
  • powdered skim milk

   

• spices:
  • cinnamon
  • nutmeg whole
  • cloves
  • ginger
  • cardamom
  • bay leaves
  • paprika
  • Spanish paprika
  • oregano
  • basil
  • thyme
  • rosemary
  • sage
  • cumin seeds and cumin
  • fennel seeds
  • caraway seeds
  • celery seeds and celery salt
  • powdered mustard
  • frozen dill and parsley
  • allspice
• extracts
  • vanilla beans and pure vanilla extract
  • almond
  • coconut
• cheese
• yogurt
• eggs
• milk

The Cooking Basics:

• grains (slow cooking rolled oats, wheat, rice, cornmeal, bulgar wheat, quinoa, barley, flax, etc.)
• seeds (sunflower, poppy seeds, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds)
• dry pastas (a variety of kinds)
• vinegars (white, apple cider, rice wine, balsamic, red wine)
• canned foods:
  • tomatoes: buy only San Marzano (even though they are $4.99 a can, they are worth it)
  • tomato paste
• sauces:
  • soy sauce (Kikoman)
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Worchestershire sauce
  • oyster and hoisin sauces
  • Dijon moustard (and others)
  • Sriracha sauce
• specialty items (olives, sundried tomatoes, etc)
• pulses (a variety of dried beans and legumes)
• root vegetables:
  • onions
  • garlic
  • carrots
  • potatoes
• fruits:
  • lemons
  • apples
  • oranges

Obviously, this is not inclusive and very specific to my palate and culture. How does yours differ?