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Writer's picturechasinflavors

MY KITCHEN ESSENTIALS & PANTRY BASICS

Updated: Jan 18, 2021

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

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