Stocking up

Since I have started this blog, a lot of my friends have come to me to share their loves, fears, and individual victories in the kitchen. It's very gratifying, and as I love food, it's nice to hear other people's stories and get their recipes.

In the last few months, though, I have heard one story over and over again. "I know how to follow a recipe really well, but I just never know what to do with what I have." Over and over, people would tell me that they never really know what to have on hand, what you could sling together, how to branch out from the page into something that is unique to you. The more I thought about this, the more I realized the secrets to my ability to cook on the fly.

First off, I have a list of about 20 things that I try to have in my pantry/refridgerator at all times. Now, as I make a lot of more ethnic dishes, my must haves are a bit different than most, but it's a point of reference.

The list :
Shrimp
Chicken
Starches: Couscous, pasta, rice, arborio rice (if I'm feeling fancy)
Juices: Orange, lemon, lime
Onions - Red and Yellow
A head or two of garlic
Red wine vinegar
Soy sauce
Ginger
A couple of chiles
Coconut milk
Cream
Chicken Stock
1-2 cans crushed tomatoes
Baby spinach or spring mix
Almonds
Cheese: mozzarella, parmesan, chevre
Avocado

Second off, I know my herbs. More to the point, I know which ones will work with just about everything I make and I try to keep them on hand. If I had a bit of sense, I'd grow my own, but alas, I am not so good at living things.

The herbs:
Basil
Oregano
Cilantro
Chives
Lemongrass
Mint

Lastly, I have aquired over the last year or so an utterly rocking spice cabinet. Dried herbs and spices are great for quick, easy, last minute additions to any meat or veggie dish. My absolute cannot-live-without spices are:


Cumin
Coriander
Nutmeg
Cayenne
Oregano
Thyme
Basil


Basically, in my mind, your pantry (and fridge and spice cabinet) is your toolbox. If you have your basic college graduate toolbox like the one that lives under my bed - hammer, a couple of screwdrivers, a tape measure, and maybe a staple gun - you can only do so much. However, if you have the fancy, seven drawers of state of the art tools organized just so set up that my friend Charles has, well, you can get a lot farther when it comes to repairs. Stock your pantry well, and you can get a long way in the kitchen. Another tool, if you want to delve further into the hows and whys as well as the whats of cooking is the book Cooking Around The World For Dummies. It has a lot of really useful information about how to cook different types of cuisine, not just recipes.


Enjoy the tips, and happy cooking!