May 5, 2009
This list was inspired by a former bachelor colleague who asked “Is there going to be anything on this blog for me?” Why yes sir, and here it is.
* Indicates items for which I recommend you buy the highest quality you can.
PANTRY:
Black Beans (it’s hard to make these taste bad)
Breadcrumbs
-Italian seasoned
Canola oil
Chicken stock*
Corn (canned)
Jam or fruit preserves
Maple syrup*
Olives (black or green)*
Olive oil*
Pasta (linguine is a good all-purpose noodle)
Peanut butter
Rice
Sugar
Tabasco
Tomatoes (canned)*
Tuna (canned)
Vinegars
-balsamic*
-plain white
Worcestershire Sauce (great for marinades)
REFRIGERATOR:
Barbecue sauce*
Bottled salad dressing
Butter
Dijon mustard*
Eggs (the most versatile ingredient of all time?)
Ketchup
Mayonnaise*
Pickles
Soy sauce (refrigerate after opening)
voila! finally a structure that’s understood by engineers. you’re god-sent! xoxoxo
Comment by Lisa — May 12, 2009 @ 12:53 pm
Nishta!
I recently bought some very good chicken stock for a paella I made, and wow was it good. I’m sold on the “buy the best quality stock you can” argument. Unfortunately, said very good chicken stock is sold only in large containers, and I have no doubt it will go bad quickly. Since I only need to cook myself one big, stocky meal a week, am I good to freeze the stock?
Comment by Mark — May 15, 2009 @ 10:27 pm
Freeze away, my friend! You can go two ways: freeze stock in a plastic container, leaving about an inch of room at the top for expansion. Or, you can pour the stock into ice cube trays & freeze–then, store the cubes in a Ziploc bag, so you can use only as many as you’ll need at a time. The latter is a bit more effort, but I find it pretty convenient. Glad I sold you on the high-quality stock argument! And yum paella! That’s one dish I’ve been nervous about trying at home. Any suggestions based on your experience?
Comment by bluejeangourmet — May 16, 2009 @ 9:03 am