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The Pantry

What you got?
               Yesterday I suggested that you take an inventory of the general state of your cooking space, if you have one. The goal is to be able to build your skills to the point where you are able to kick out a meal on the fly. This happens to be the kind of cooking I like to do. I get really itchy when I have tried those meal planning ideas; and believe me, I’ve tried a bunch.
               If you are lucky enough to have a full kitchen, you are really set. But even if you only have a hot plate or a microwave, you can do some very simple cooking.
               SO why even try to cook , when you either don’t know how , or hate to? Try to think of it as a way of expanding your world. There are all the usual practical reasons, of course. For example, you can decide to improve the healthiness of your meals. Don’t go overboard  (unless you want to) here and buy really expensive ingredients you’ve never eaten before.  That brings me to:
THE PANTRY
               Having basic ingredients in stock all the time is the key to being able to throw together a meal on the fly. Start by saving glass jars (and their lids) instead of throwing them out. You can use the cleaned jars to store things in your pantry. Finding an area that is less exposed to the sun or heat is ideal. You can use a closet, kitchen cabinet or dedicated shelf in your frig.
               Before you start stocking your pantry, look again at your list and be honest about the type of food you prefer eating. It’s no use stocking things you will never eat!  Here is a list of basics to stock, and add or subtract from the list to match your taste. I should warn you that if you are a fast food junkie, your taste buds will need some major adjustment before you can really enjoy the lower salt, lower fat, lower chemical foods that naturally happen in home cooking! Buy all at once if you can afford it, or a few at a time. These are in no particular order.
THE PANTRY LIST (for the beginner cook)
BEANS either dry or canned. Dry beans are always cheaper than canned per pound, but they take a long time to cook well. Try garbanzos, black beans, red beans…
RICE and PASTA. I have several kinds of rice always on hand. They really DO taste differently. My favorite rice for dinner is brown rice for its flavor. But I love basmati rice for desert or with really spicy food.
ANY pasta is ok with me! It’s cheap, easy to cook, and versatile. I find semolina pasta the best. I don’t like rice “pastas,” or vegetable pastas for my regular pantry, as I find they work best for only some recipes.
TOMATO PASTE. You will find this will add a beautiful flavor to all kinds of meals! Only buy the kind that comes in a tube! If you buy the stuff in a can, you will need to use the whole can at once, or else it might sit until it spoils. The tube kind keeps very well in the frig.
FLOUR. Flour is a very good and cheap thickener, as well as a basic for baking (which you will conquer later)
FROZEN VEGGIES and FRUITS. Try to get the plain veggies with only one type in each bag. This makes it easier to grab for a particular style of cooking. Be sure to look at the bag to see that it contains ONLY veggies and ONLY fruits, no additives.  
OIL. Here you will need two types. One should be as neutral in flavor as possible. The other should be Extra Virgin First Press Olive Oil. I have to warn you that this type of olive oil is pricy. Worth every penny!
FLAVOR ADDERS. I admit to being a lazy cook sometimes, so I buy already chopped garlic in a jar. Essential for me to have garlic! Onions of any type, and fresh or dried herbs…whatever you can afford! More on herbs tomorrow! Salt. Pepper. Wine (red and white real wine. PLEASE don’t buy cooking wine).
FRESH VEGGIES and fruit. If you currently don’t eat veggies, you can still cook at home, but it won’t be very appealing and it will definitely be less healthy. Buy in season when you can. If you are as lucky as I am , go to the local farms to get them!  Fresh veggies and fruits can be very expensive indeed. Before you buy ANY , tune in here tomorrow for a brief buying guide!




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