I shop for pantry items and equipment on a regular basis. What can I say I loveeeeeee gadgets and I never get enough of them. My apartment is small and my kitchen is even smaller so I don’t get to store everything that I would like to be able to store. Maybe one day I can have a big enough kitchen to create a big and beautiful pantry just the way I would like with all my favorite kitchen essentials. This is not to tell you what to put in your kitchen. This is just to show you some of my favorites. Mostly recommendations. You should arrange your kitchen the way you like with your favorites pantry items that are accessible to you.
My pantry has me ready to put together a beautiful meal on the table anytime. For the most part I use basic equipment and everyday ingredients almost everyone has on hand. A good quality set of pots and pans, nonstick skillets in a variety of sizes, a stand mixer, a food processor, and of course a set of good shape knives. I keep basic ingredients in my pastry that suit my Southern palate, with a few ingredients from around the world for those times when I’m feeling daring.
Every so often, I take an inventory of my pantry, freezer, shelves, racks, fridge, making a list of items I’m running low on. Making that list helps a lot and allow me to make my big monthly shopping trip, replenishing and stocking up on my kitchen essentials. Nonetheless in between those shopping trips, I’ll usually make a few runs to the store to pick up fresh produce and other perishables that I have in mind for recipes I’m going to cook. It still makes shopping a breeze.
JUST A FEW OF MY PANTRY ITEMS:
OLIVE OIL
Extra-virgin, for excellent flavors and for moderate cooking temperatures, basting, garnishing, grilling Stir-frying, and mixing in salad dressings, sauces, and marinades etc.
CANOLA OIL
High smoke point cooking temps, such as deep frying, frying, searing, sauteing, grilling, stir-frying, and baking etc.
GRAPESEED OIL
High smoke point cooking temps, such as deep frying, frying, searing, sauteing, grilling, stir-frying, and baking etc.
SOYBEAN OIL
High smoke point cooking temps
COCONUT OIL
CLARIFIED BUTTER
PEANUT OIL
BUTTER (UNSALTED)
DRIED HERBS AND SPICES
Such as dried oregano, basil, chipotle chili pepper, cumin, granulated onion and garlic powder, crushed red pepper flakes, and dill, etc.
SALTS
Table Salt
Himalayan Salt
PEPPERS
Ground Pepper
Black Peppercorns
CANNED TOMATOES
In a few varieties, such as crushed, diced, whole plum, sauce, paste, and pitted.
CANNED BEANS
Such as red, black, chickpeas, pigeon peas, etc.
DRIED PASTA
Such as elbow, farfalle, spaghetti, penne, linguini, ziti, tortellini, lasagna, cavatappi, etc.
RICE
Such as arborio, long grain, brown, Jasmine, etc.
SOUP AND STOCK BASES
I keep chicken, beef, vegetable and seafood on hand
PLANKO BREADCRUMBS
ITALIAN SEASONED BREADCRUMBS
PLAIN BREADCRUMBS
GRITS
Instant, Stoneground, etc
BAKING PANTRY
ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR
SEMOILLA FLOUR
ROLLED OATS
BAKING POWDER
BAKING SODA
ACTIVE DRY YEAST
CORN STARCH
GRANULATED SUGAR
LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
MONK SUGAR
PURE VANILLA EXTRACT
ALMOND EXTRACT
CINNAMON
NUTMEG
COCOA POWDER
ALL SPICE
VANILLA BEAN/VANILLA PASTE
RERIGERATOR
PARMIGIANO CHEESE: Blocks for grating, shaved, shredded, etc.
SMOKE GOUDA
UNSALTED BUTTER
BUTTERMLIK
HALF N HALF
HEAVY CREAM
ALMOND MILK
CREAM CHEESE
ONIONS : Yellow, and red
SHALLOTS
GARLIC CLOVES
LEMONS
LIMES
ASSORTED FRUITS
FREEZER
PUFF PASTRY
PIE CRUSTS
PIZZA DOUGH
ICECREAM