July 17, 2007
What's in your cabinet?
Ed Levine over at Serious Eats has posted my favorite food blog entry of the day, asking "What's in Your Food Sur-Thrival Kit?"
According to Ed, everybody has his or her list of favorite go-to ingredients. They keep the cabinets stocked with them and they know how to turn them into several quick, easy and satisfying meals after a tough day. His list includes such items as pre-cooked pasta, grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and quality bacon.
Levine invited Serious Eats readers to chime in with their own personal "Sur-Thrival" kits, and the responses both intrigue and amuse me.
It's no surprise that most people consider pasta a must-have staple, because it's so simple to make and versatile. Fresh fruit and veggies, eggs, canned tomatoes and various cheeses also turned up in many lists.
But hickory-smoked brisket and raspberry kefir? Prosciutto cubes? A whole guanciale (cured pig cheek)? Pecorino from sardegna?
Dang. That's ambitious. I want to be invited over for a spur-of-the-moment dinner at their house.
No matter your poison, I really love this idea. I've been working on an article about imaginative, organized parents who manage to produce a (mostly) homecooked meal almost every night of the week. The main reason they feel accomplished is because their family gets to reconnect over dinner. But it doesn't hurt that they aren't plunking down a bucket of KFC, either.
Having a usual roster of simple meals and stocking the kitchen for those meals is a common denominator for these folks. It's a good idea for the single set, too.
To steal an idea from Ed Levine, here's my list. What's yours?
- Mahatma yellow rice
- Black beans
- Refried beans
- Wheat tortillas
- Cheddar cheese
- Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- Frozen spinach
- Various bottled marinades; light Caesar dressing
- Canned and whole tomatoes
- Canned mushrooms
- Vidalia onions
- Romaine lettuce
- Turkey sausage
- Low fat vanilla ice cream
- Mangoes (in season)
Comments
[July 18, 2007 10:31 AM]
LoriDefinitely whole wheat pasta. As you said, it's so versatile and easy. We made a primavera recently with some fresh zuchini, cherry tomatoes, and some more of my go-to items- sundried tomatoes and Tyson frozen grilled chicken strips. It was so easy yet sounded and looked so impressive!
We also keep on hand frozen shrimp, boneless skinless chicken breasts, canned tomatoes, fresh garlic, an assortment of beans and frozen veggies on hand.
Love the blog; keep up the great work!
Lori
[July 18, 2007 5:07 PM]
carrie : →http://www.myfrugallife.com/blog_4kitmom.htmlI love to see what people have in their pantries at home! I think it tells a lot about a person!
Personally, these seem to be mainstays in our kitchen:
-frozen chicken breasts
-onions
-potatoes
-shredded cheddar
-frozen loaves of bread (they smell great baking!)
-powdered milk
-condensed milk
-canned soups
-canned veggies and beans
-frozen ground turkey
-frozen turkey bacon
-whole wheat flour
-romaine lettuce (homemade ceasar salad rules!!)
-carrots
-celery
-pasta (all kinds)
-(i hate to admit this but..)instant potatoes
-Kraft mac and cheese (I am NOT ashamed to admit this!!)
-quick cooking oatmeal
-sugar
-anchovy paste
-various hard cheeses for micrograting on stuff!
-frozen spinach
-frozen pie crusts
-a box cake mix (for quickly needed desserts)
-can of icing
-cheerios
-chunky applesauce
-deli meats
-deli cheeses
I'm sure there is more, but I can't think of anything else!
Definitely nothing gourmet, but we can get pretty creative with our meals!
[July 19, 2007 11:48 AM]
Other JohnWe have a fairly substantial list too. We generally keep several types of pasta (fettucini, angel hair, rotini, penne, etc) with canned tomatoes of different types too (i.e. fire-roasted crushed, diced, etc), all types of flour and other baking supplies, a whole slew of bbq sauces, salad dressings, and condiments, a nice variety of organic spices and herbs, seasoning packs for chili, tacos, fajitas and other goodies, cajun rice mixes, a lot of plain rice and couscous, many different teas, and we stock a bunch of halal beef and chicken, along with a variety of cheeses from our local organic grocer. And on any given day we also have a drawer full of organic produce (including romaine lettuce, carrots, potatoes, garlic, onion, tomatoes, corn, broccoli, etc).
[July 20, 2007 7:49 AM]
DebiReading your pantry lists brings back memories for me. I USED to have a well stocked pantry...I became widowed five years ago. Prior to that I was a stay-at-home mom for many years, lived in a large house with a big kitchen, separate pantry, and deep freezer. I could whip up a meal for 20 within an hour at any time.
Now my college-age daughter and I live in a small apartment. No pantry, barely enough cabinet space for the dishes. We both work, she goes to school and we are just too tired to cook. Several nights a week we end up eating out. Not fast food, not expensive, but a time to recharge and reconnect. Do I feel guilty? Sometimes, but it works for me at this time in my life. I'd love to have the space, time, and energy to cook more but for now, my "pantry" has more cat food than people food! lol We do always keep canned soups, sandwich fixings, and usually a big container of salad. Last night we had a tossed salad and pasta with bottled sauce. That's about as ambitious as we get these days.
[September 25, 2007 10:34 PM]
Cocinero LocoAP Flour, Semolina, Pastry Flour, Rolled Oats, Bulgur Wheat, Farina, Pearled Barley, Brewers' Malted Wheats and Barleys, Short-Grain Rice, Long-Grain Rice, White Sugar, Brown Sugar, Molasses, Dates, Dried Figs, Dried Apricots, Red Wine Raisins, Buckwheat, Orange Honey, Clover Honey, Lentils, Black Beans, Roman Beans, White Beans, and Garbanzos.
A selection of protected Italian and Spanish wines to include but not limited to brandy, vermouth, vodka, and rum. Tarragon vinegar, aged red and white wine vinegars, balsamic vinegar, and white balsamic vinegar. Olive oils for baking, cooking, and salads. Almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistaccios. Pure cocoa and bakers chocate.
Pasta: (Not all pasta is equal) Imported Bucatini #7, Spaghetti, and Penne Rigate. Imported gold medal rated Whole Tomatos both with basil or without. Various tea leaves and coffee.
An entire collection of whole spices, dried herbs, and a variety of salts. Dried peppers, dried mushrooms. Canned tonno ventresca, anchovy, sardine, clams, crabs, and salmon.
In the fridge is soup fowl stock, veal stock, lamb necks, pork necks, veal necks bones, pancetta, sweet sausage, pork ribs, Pecorino Romano, Parmesean Reggiano, Pecorino Ricotta Salata, Pecorino Pepato, Gorgonzola, and pretty white mozzarella in water. Garlic is kept with the cheeses. Yogurt culture, rennet, unsalted butter, milks, creams, dried milks too.
All just in case I need something when I cook because a lot of what I use to cook I like to be consistent and can be difficult to find.
[September 26, 2007 10:20 AM]
LindseyWow, that is quite a list, Cocinero. It is a lucky man (or woman) who becomes a spur-of-the-moment dinner guest at your house.