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After becoming an ACS CCP in 2013, I spent the next 5 years creating and compiling hundreds of documents to assist those sitting for the ACS CCP Exam and all Cheese Enthusiasts who wanted to increase their Cheese IQ. These documents are all posted and linked here.
6/24/2020
During the “New Normal” created by COVID 19, many of us are cooking at home and having a versatile pantry is more important than ever. Many years ago, Gourmet Magazine (RIP) featured an article about what every cook should always have on hand. With those articles, any cook would be able to whip up dinner anytime. I no longer have that article, but I took it to heart and began making sure I had those items in my pantry. I thought was now a good time to share “my pantry” with you. Using my #AmazonInfluencer Storefront, I have created several lists (from which I will receive a few pennies if you purchase from my lists) that reflect what I keep in my kitchen. With these food items always on hand, you can create a tasty and healthy entree or meal everyday.
In these sheltering times, everything here is available from Amazon for home delivery. And with every recipe you can imagine now available on the network, you can shelter and eat like a gourmand from now until… whenever.
Tip # 1: When not sure what recipe you need, enter your main ingredients into your favorite search engine (I am devoted to google.com) and bam… a list of recipes using those specific ingredients will appear. For example: enter pork, rice, mushrooms, cream and champagne; and you’ll have a gourmet dinner ready within the hour. Whip up a simple salad and you’re good to go…
My Pantry – Just The Basics: This Amazon list is one of each of the basics I keep in My Pantry. With this pantry, you can construct a simple-to-complicated meal any day of the week; whenever the “mood strikes”.
My Pantry – Dry Goods: Most recipes, especially baked goods, start with flour and sugar. Bob’s Red Mill is my first choice. In addition to these ingredients, I have included dried mashed potatoes and dried hash browns which can be used to thicken soups. And you must have yeast for rolls and certain breads.
My Pantry – Oils, Butters, Vinegars and Other Liquids: My go-to oil is EVOO, extra virgin olive oil for most sauteing of meats and veggies and salad dressings. For deep frying, I use Canola Oil or Vegetable Oil. For Asian cooking, I mix in some Sesame Oil. I always have Modena Balsamic Vinegar for dressings and reducing to make a sauce; rice vinegar, red wine vinegar and distilled white vinegar for canning (and cleaning).
Tip #2: Butter does not need to be refrigerated. It will eventually go rancid if left out too long, but one stick around The Manse is used before that happens. (I freeze butter and take out, one stick at a time, to have on counter at room temperature.) In the summer, you do need to be careful as the room temperature rises.
My Pantry – Seasonings: In addition to several salts (basic sea and kosher are my go-tos), and peppers, my herbs and spices pantry is vast. I have on hand more than fifty different herbs, spices and seasoning combos. While many chefs recommend refreshing your herbs and spices every six months, I buy when I run out. You might need to use a little more from older herbs/spices to get the flavor profile, but I think throwing them out every six months is a waste of good food and good money.
Tip #3: I do not ascribe to the theory of tossing herbs and spices every six months. At worst, you might need to use a little more but I have never found herbs or spices to “go bad” or lose total flavor.
Tip #4: Start and maintain your own herb garden. Even when all I had was a small balcony, I grew herbs. Even now with two acres of land, I still garden in containers. I buy 17/18 gallon plastic containers from amazon, you can but them here. I drill several holes around the bottom; put several inches of gravel and fill with potting soil. The darker the container, the more often you have to water. We live in zone 8a and many of my herbs cannot withstand the cold of our winters. Rosemary stays out all year; mint dies off but comes back in the spring. My thyme, sage and basil go into the greenhouse for the winter. However, the basil does not survive even in the greenhouse.
My Pantry – Pasta, Rice and other Starches: If you have pasta, rice or potatoes in your pantry, you are halfway there for your meal. I prefer potatoes and The Man prefers rice and we both love pasta. All three are versatile and can be used inter-changeably. For dried potatoes, I keep mashed and hash to use primarily for thickening soups (I’m not a big fan of their taste as stand-alone options). I have a pasta machine and you can’t do better than fresh, but sometimes I’m too lazy and turn to the dried pastas. I keep several “styles” with penne, elbow and farfalla being my faves. In the rice family, I always have risotto, basmati, jasmine, wild and even “boil in bag” rice… I know, but The Man prefers it when I make fried rice.
My Pantry – Dried Mushrooms: In addition to the canned button mushrooms we all keep on hand, I also have a medley of wild mushrooms, morels and chanterelles – all dried.
Tip #5 – I re-hydrate dried mushrooms using chicken//beef/vegetable broth and use the broth in whatever dish I am creating. Not as good as fresh but having these in your pantry kicks up your entree to a new level. You’re welcome.
My Pantry – Dried Beans and Veggies: I don’t use dried beans a lot because you have to soak them for several hours and I never think of it the night before I prep a dish calling for beans. But I have several bags of various dried beans, just in case.
My Pantry – Dried Fruits and Nuts: I keep several varieties of dried fruits and nuts on hand to adorn my various cheese plates and platters. Also, they make healthy snacks in the evening when you crave something sweet.
Tip #6 – Store dried fruits and nuts in the freezer to keep them fresher.
My Pantry – Canned Goods: Maybe not as good as fresh, but canned goods make food stuffs available all year long.
Tip #7 – You can ignore dates on most canned goods. Those dates are placed on the food by the manufacturer for two reasons: more sales and for legal reasons, in the unlikely event the food goes bad. Important to make sure the cans are not bent or damaged as damaged cans increase the chance of botulism. I have opened cans out-of-date by more than two years and the food is perfect (same with many fresh products – as long as not open, most likely okay within a reasonable amount of time. Once open, use immediately.)
My Pantry – Butters – Nut and Fruit: Need a quick snack, this list has got you covered.
Tip #8: No need to refrigerate nut butters after opening. Storing at room temperature keeps them easy to spread.
My Pantry – Jams, Jellies and Other Condiments: Lots of sweets for your peanut butter sammies and cheese boards.
My Pantry – Kitchen Tools: From spatulas to dutch ovens, a little bit of everything a kitchen needs.
Stuff I Wish Were in My Pantry: The creme de la creme of specialty foods that I buy for special occasions.
My Pantry – Miscellaneous: Everything else.
My Pantry – Fresh Foods:
Tip #_: If you can afford a freezer (I recommend stand-up rather than a chest style), you can further expand your ability to cook great meals. For example, I bought a whole lamb from a local farmer and will be receiving delivery soon of half of a cow. Without a freezer, I would not have this luxury.
Tip #_: Gardening is fun and rewarding. As mentioned above, The Man and I have always had some kind of garden. Even when we only had a small balcony or patio, in addition to herbs, we grew tomatoes, peppers, onions and potatoes. This past year I grew seven different pepper plants and at the end of the season, wintered them in the greenhouse. Five survived, despite my neglect and near the end of winter, aphids arrived. Now they are back outside and doing well. Filled with blooms and peppers.
In addition to being an American Cheese Society Certified Cheese Professional, I am a Certified ServSafe Food Production Manager with certifications that also include ServSafe Certified Instructor and Proctor. I am available for cheese events, cheese program development, cheese training, food safety training and 3rd party food safety auditing. See my About Me and Resume pages for more details or call me at 360 921 9908 to discuss availability.
*** Full disclosure: As an #AmazonInfluencer, if you purchase these books and/or other products in my amazon store, I will receive compensation.
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