# Pantry essentials?



## apicius9 (May 2, 2016)

So, since I am moving into a new place and pretty much starting from scratch, I also have the opportunity to put a little thought into what I need and what not. I thought it would be fun to hear your recommendations about specific items, brands, things I am missing, things nobody needs etc. for my pantry. Starting with a commented version of the Foodnetwork 'pantry basics' - what are your thoughts?

Home Recipes & How-Tos Pantry Essentials Checklist
Pantry Essentials Checklist
From Food Network Kitchen

Having a well-stocked pantry and fridge is like money in the bank. With basic supplies on hand, you'll be equally prepared to put together a family-friendly meal or a last-minute dinner for friends. The trick is figuring out what to lay by and what you can live without.

Consider the checklist below a rough sketch; only you can determine the essentials based on the predilections of your crew. Trying to cut back on meat? Skip the Italian sausage and swap in frozen wild-caught shrimp. Don't like peanut butter? Pick up a tub of hummus instead. The idea is to make sure you have enough proteins and sturdy vegetables to pull together several satisfying meals, plus some flavorful condiments and seasonings to keep things interesting (even on a school night).

Whatever you decide to toss in your shopping cart, you can rest happy knowing you won't ever again have to call spaghetti with butter dinner  unless that's exactly what you're in the mood for.

PANTRY

Basics

Kosher salt
Fine salt
Black peppercorns
Extra virgin olive oil
Vegetable oil
Apple cider vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Balsamic or sherry vinegar
Rice vinegar (unseasoned)

Got the salt covered with regular kosher, Maldon, and red Hawaiian salt. Working on a Penzey order will take care of the peppers - I use white at least as much as black. Basic olive oil will come from Costco. Thoughts about what the best neutra vegetable oil is are very welcome, as are recommendations for a finishing olive oil and a decent but affordable balsamico and/or sherry vinegar. 


Baking

Flour: all purpose, whole wheat or pastry
Baking soda
Baking powder
Cream of tartar
Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
Chocolate: chips or bar
Evaporated milk
Pure vanilla extract

Planning an order from King Arthur for most of that. Have my homemade vanilla extract. Should be fine here for my baking needs which will mostly be breads. 

Sweeteners

Granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar
Brown sugar
Maple syrup
Honey
Agave syrup

Basic stuff unless I am missing something. 

Drinks

Coffee
Tea

Don't do tea, some coffee is ordered, exploring local roasters at the moment - any recommendations from the Philly locals?

Rice and Grains

Long-grain white rice
Brown rice
Grains: bulgur, quinoa, couscous or farro
Pasta: standard, whole grain, rice noodles or egg noodles
Polenta
Breadcrumbs: plain or panko

Any specific rice recommendations? Will look for Japaese style rice in a local Japanese store, also will need Basmati rice, those two are what I mostly eat. I think I can live without quinoa, but couscous is on my list. Also need polenta and grits - what is the wisdom about grits here?

Snacks and Cereals

Crackers
Tortillas
Cookies or biscuits
Pretzels
Marshmallows
Popcorn kernels
Dried fruit: raisins, apricots or cherries
Seeds: sunflower, flax, chia or hemp
Peanut butter or almond butter
Applesauce
Breakfast cereal
Old-fashioned rolled oats

Not really big into most of these. Occasionally eating Special K cereal. Other items here seen unnecessary to me. Well, I guess some crackers or pretzels can't hurt. Prefer to make my own apple sauce, most store-bought ones are too sweet for me. 


Canned Goods

Chicken broth
Beans: cannellini, navy, chickpeas or black
Vegetables: hominy, corn or green beans
Olives or capers
Chiles: chipotles in adobo or pickled jalapenos
Salsa
Tomatoes
Tomato paste
Roasted red peppers
Tuna
Anchovy fillets or paste

That seems to make sense, except for cornand beans which I would rathe buy frozen. Costco chicken broth until I make and freeze my own. Wish I could afford canned tuna from Spain.... Does anybody have a food source for salted capers and anchovies? Favorite San Marzano tomato brands?


Dried Herbs and Spices

Bay leaves
Cajun seasoning
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder
Crushed red pepper
Curry powder
Fennel or dill seed
Granulated garlic
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Ground cumin
Ground ginger
Oregano
Paprika: sweet and smoked
Rosemary
Sesame seeds
Thyme
Whole nutmeg

So, what are the essential ones that are missing here? Please keep in mind that I love by myself and don't want to buy too many spices in bulk,just to theow them out in a year (or two). I am thinking Pezey's - should I look anywhere else? I have saffron, definitely need to add mustard powder, maybe a good Texas chili mix? Not sure I see myself mixing my own... Also thinking about adding a few Indian basics like coriander, turmeric, and a good garam masala. In a few eeks I also hope to start a few basic fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary, basil, coriander, sage, mint).


REFRIGERATOR

Dairy and Eggs

Milk
Plain yogurt: regular or Greek
Unsalted butter
Cheddar or mozzarella
Goat cheese
Parmesan (wedge)
Eggs

Anything else that you would always want in your fridge? There will be cheeses at any time...


Fresh Produce

Avocados
Carrots
Celery
Tomatoes: grape, cherry or seasonal beefsteak
Broccoli or cauliflower
Bell peppers
Leafy greens: spinach, kale or chard
Lettuce: romaine, Boston or mixed greens
Flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
Thyme
Scallions
Gingerroot
Potatoes: sweet, white or new
Onions
Garlic
Lemons
Limes
Apples
Bananas

That's flexible and seasonal, of course. 


Condiments

Jelly, jam or preserves
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Mustard: Dijon or whole grain
Pickles
Hot sauce: Tabasco, Sriracha or sambal
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce or tamari
Asian fish sauce
Toasted sesame oil

I will start some salted lemons soon and will try my hand occasionally on quick pickles. What fish sause to buy? I know we could probably discuss soy sauces for weeks (I think there was a thread some time ago?), but I am thinking about starting with a lighter and a darker one that taste like something other than salt. Any must-have things missing? Chili oil? Homemade hot sauce?


Freezer

Ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bacon
Bread: baguette or sandwich bread
Vegetables: peas, chopped spinach or corn
Fruit: berries, peaches or mangos
Nuts: almonds, walnuts or pecans
Dough: pizza, pie or puff pastry
Vanilla ice cream

Again, there will be a lot of individual variation. Finally got my simple vacuum sealer out of storage, so there will be Costco meat as well as local butcher meats in reasonable serving sizes in my freezer. Always have gyoza in there - hope to eventually make my own instead of buying the Costco ones... Do you guys keep your nuts in the freezer? - Maybe I should rephrase that question, but you know what I mean  There will probably be puff pastry and fillo dough, Haagen Dazs white chocolate-truffle-raspberry icecream plus whichever I make myself, and frozen veggies. What else needs to be in the freezer at all times?

Very likely need to stock up bit by bit, but trying to se up a pantry that allows for a lot of flexibility while minimizing waste and trash. 

Stefan


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## brianh (May 2, 2016)

Didn't see onion powder which is a staple for me. I also usually keep generic Italian seasoning in the cabinet for when I pick up pizza. 

For freezer, I always like to have pierogies in there and kielbasa from local polish deli.

Edit: oh and I always have to have spicy brown mustard in the fridge. And extra hot German or Polish mustard.


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

On my phone so I'm going to take this a section at a time.

I like California Olive Ranch higher end stuff as finishing oil. It doesn't make very good vinaigrettes, but on a steak it is very good. My utility sherry vinegar is Don Bruno. I also keep around Datu Puti cane vinegar (Pinoy Market) and Steen's cane vinegar.


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Sweeteners, cane syrup and Karo syrup


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Grits: i like hoppin john's https://www.hoppinjohns.com but anson mills is very good as well, and also has polenta. I really like corn flour as a thing to have around as well, you can get that from either source.

If you buy Israeli cous you can also toast it in the oven, boil it, and it can pinch hit for fregola sarda.


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Snacks. Popcorn, for when times get hard here in the forum.


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Spices: looks good, if you have a want to mix your own Cajun spice and curry powder I can get you some places to start


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Fridge: beer. Seriously how did they miss this.


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Condiments: I like Red Boat fish sauce. If you can find it shiro shoyu is really good, like a missing link between Kikoman style and fish sauce. I prefer Louisiana brand hot sauce for cooking, it is more neutral compared to Crystal, or especially Tabasco. If you are into chili oil or homemade hot sauce I can help out there too.





Also pepper sauce like this.


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

I also keep a lot of dried beans, red, black, limas, great northerns, lentils around.


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## ecchef (May 2, 2016)

Miso, Maggi Seasoning, shichimi, bonito flake & kombu, Thai curry paste, mirin, sake.


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## apicius9 (May 2, 2016)

Some good ideas already, thanks. And sorry about all the typos, did that on the Ipad with the wrong glasses on...

Will have to follow up on some of these. Pretty sure my Japanese friend will bring soe things over at some point, including dried squid and scallops as nice little snacks. Also like to have some furikake at home. I never had many Japanese items while in Hawaii, because you could get Japanese food at every street corner... And I never got mirin, not sure what it is good for.

Forgot about the legumes, I am more into lentils than beans, so I hope to find red, Puy, black, and ordinary brown lentils. Edamame in the freezer are a must. 

For Cajun mixes I usually look at one of the Prudhomme books, but would love to hear some tips, same with a basic curry mix. Usually I end up with way too much when I start mixing, but hat's what friends are for... Oh, is that clear pepper sauce vinegar-based or is this what the Hawaiians call peppa water?

Thai curry paste is also essential, although I occasionally want to make fresh ones. Haven't used Maggi in a very long time but grew up with it.

Stefan


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## Mucho Bocho (May 2, 2016)

Korean: Gochugaru, Denjhang, gouchujang


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## brianh (May 2, 2016)

Take a drive to Mitsuwa market in Edgewater, NJ for everything Japanese!


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## panda (May 2, 2016)

Ramen!


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## Dardeau (May 2, 2016)

Gouchujang makes everything good. It is vinegar that gets heated up with a pinch of sugar and salt, then has cayenne or bird chilies steeped in it.


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## chinacats (May 2, 2016)

apicius9 said:


> Forgot about the legumes, I am more into lentils than beans, so I hope to find red, Puy, black, and ordinary brown lentils. Edamame in the freezer are a must.



For lentils (and many beans) or most anything on your spice list, find a local Indian market. They go through a ton of spices, beans and rice so they are usually fresh and the cost is always good. Can be a good place to grab some fresh fruits and veggies depending on the store.


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## Aleque (May 2, 2016)

I cook a decent amount of fajitas for the wife (it's her favorite) and I've found the really cheap dried chilies, guajillo, ancho, arbol, etc. Are nice to have stocked. They are really inexpensive, like <$3 for a massive bag. I use a food processor or a spice grinder to grind them up and add to the seasoning. These work well for other seasons too and add a lot of depth to just normal red chile flakes. I think they are worth having around if you cook "South of the border" from time to time.


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## skewed (May 3, 2016)

I might have just missed seeing it on your excellent lest but: yeast?


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## DamageInc (May 3, 2016)

I always have 38% creme fraiche in my fridge.


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## Casaluz (May 3, 2016)

If you use it, I would suggest Ghee, Duck fat, and fish Sauce (Red Boat brand). On spices, Spanish Red pepper, spanish paprika, and basque piment d'spelette. Of course paella rice for paella, risotto or rice pudding


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## Dardeau (May 3, 2016)

Dried chilies are a good call


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## Mucho Bocho (May 3, 2016)

Taco shells kit (stuff and stand, El Paso). You can stuff just about any leftover in a taco, Just be sure to warm the shells thoroughly before serving (one if my peeves). 

Campbell's cans of beef consume. I know its not the best, but its an excellent base for any beefy sauce or gravy.

Dried corn leaves for tamales and or frozen banana leaves

Dried mushrooms

SPAM (low sodium) X 2

fresh pork belly/back-fat in the freezer

Confit lemon, Confit Garlic

Cranberry relish

these came to mind...


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## apicius9 (May 3, 2016)

Oh boy, so much I forgot... Don't know anything about Korean food, so that is on the explore-later list. I did have a collection of different dried chiles once but never really used them, so that will go on the list but with lower priority (just like the Spam  ). I agree with the beef consomme, gotta be careful with salt, but it's a great base for a quick sauce or even a braise. Definitely also need canned coconut milk. Bomba rice or something like that is also a must, especially because I love paellas. Guess I'll update the list when I have a moment. And I need to look up that old thread about which ramen to choose... Oh, @Brian: I have been to Mitsuwa market many times, may be worth a drive again. Gotta check with my Japanese friends here, always a fun day trip. 

Stefan


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## brianh (May 3, 2016)

Hit me up if you go. Hope I'm not derailing your thread, but consider So Kong Dong in Fort Lee beforehand, if you've never been there. One of my favorites. 

Sadly, one of the better katsu places in Mitsuwa has changed several times, my last experience was not great.


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## mille162 (May 10, 2016)

There's a reason Philly has been one of the top fattest cities in the US forever...you're going to love food shopping here!

Wegmans for everything, so much more variety than whole foods! Plus, they always have D'artagnan duck breast, demi-glace, duck fat, and more. Excellent produce selection, in-house dry-aged meats.

Italian market (Di Bruno, Claudio's for Italian/cured meat/cheeses, Fante's for kitchen gadgets/baking needs, D'Angelo Brother's for all butchered meat needs, Spice Corner for spices, Talluto's for frozen pasta)

Reading Terminal for misc/handcrafted stuff (Lots of Amish goods, jams/jellies/honeys, Bauhaus for German goods and meats, mustards)

Penzey's Spice Store at Independence Mall has a huge variety of spices, but haven't used any to comment on quality, but HUGE variety

For Coffee, go to Ray's Coffee & Tea House in Chinatown, 114 N 9th st. Sample what they sell by the cup, then buy beans. Jamaica Blue, Sukiyaki, Kona, Kopi luwak and more. prices listed online but often have more selection in store: http://www.rayscafe.com/menus/coffee_tea.html

Save room in the panty for weekend trips to NYC...10x's the amount of goods available within an hour train ride! BTW, I'm heading up to Korin Wed afternoon if you need anything brought back.


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## spoiledbroth (May 10, 2016)

Aji no Moto!


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## Bill13 (May 10, 2016)

I would skip the fine salt and get some Maldon instead. With a spice grinder you can always make fine salt. I'm impressed with your list, stealing some ideas from the thread too. If you make it Sat and we have time a trip to Great Wall or Eden center might be fun, bring a cooler! 

Eden center has great Pho, the competition is tough so if it's not good the restaurant does not last..


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## Uffduh (May 10, 2016)

Medallions of foie gras in the freezer for grating into hamburgers or finishing steaks in the lodge skillet

Ponzu and yuzu juice for quick dressing over cured salmon with sesame seeds.
Miso paste while I'm thinking of it

Pine nuts
Did you have block of Parmesan cheese on the fridge list? 

Some truffle oil goes well in the aforementioned creme fraiche on potato crisps as a quick snack or in scrambled eggs. Truffle salt is a house favorite on popcorn. Chili powder or cumin and lime salt too, for that matter. Old Bay Seasoning even better

Kaffir lime, curry and bay leaves do well in the freezer for soups and curries

+1 the beer, Victory HopDevil IPA will be a good local one for you


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## Elfen23 (May 10, 2016)

It took me a bit to find this thread, Stefan, but you are correct. Danny would definitely have chimed in. Probably with some quip about quantities of items. He was notorious for buying 10 of everything 

As far as our pantry was concerned, most of the items have been well covered here, and I've gotten several new ideas when I start to set up again! (Thanks, gents!) We used many more of the common Indian spices everyday, but you had a good basic list going. I might add keeping some raw cashews? 

Oh! Heavy Cream for coffee in the morning, and copious amounts of good IPA for the afternoon!! :doublethumbsup:


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## Elfen23 (May 10, 2016)

Dardeau said:


> Gouchujang makes everything good. It is vinegar that gets heated up with a pinch of sugar and salt, then has cayenne or bird chilies steeped in it.



Danny and I had recently purchased some gouchujang. We found it a bit sweet? I have the same reaction to sriracha.

Is my heat meter just broken? It added reasonably good flavor, but not heat...

Sorry if this hijacks the thread - just a curiosity.


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## mille162 (May 10, 2016)

Your list has me thinking about my own cabinets, just took a look and here are some more of my essentials not mentioned:

Cabinet:
Szechaun Peppercorns
Whole nutmeg
Cinnamon sticks
Small jar of capers
misc cans of peeled whole plum tomatoes
Aged Balsamic for drizzling (http://www.dibruno.com/campari-15-year-aged-balsamic-vinegar/)
Very "green" olive oil for dressings on salad and veggies
Brandy, port, sherry for deglazing and adding to sauces

Fridge:
minced garlic in oil
Taste #5 Umami Bomb Paste (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UEY8T3M/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)
Lazano Salsa for rice/chicken/eggs (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0065NQXA2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20)

D'artagnan black truffle butter (always in stock at Wegmans or DiBruno Bros)


In the freezer:
Carvel Ice Cream cake, I'd say single serving size, but aren't all the sizes single serving, lol
Bone Marrow cubes (cook as normal, scoop out and drain liquid into ice cube trays, mix in with ground beef or top burgers)


BTW, Philly area state stores have a special edition Jose Cuervo Reposado, aged in Flying Fish Rojo Grande Ale casks (which is aged in Cuervo tequila barrels, lol). Perfect for sipping while cooking pretty much anything!


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## strumke (May 10, 2016)

I've been on a bit of a purge over the past year. I accumulated WAY too much of a lot of the things on this list and realized that some stuff was way too old and other stuff was getting way too old. I've made a conscious decision to stop buying more condiments, spices, grains, flour, noodles, oils, until I really made a good dent in the stuff I already had. While this does limit certain things, and I have bought some one-off items, I did find that I can figure out certain substitutes or omissions to still allow me to cook tasty things without buying another container of whatever.

My point is, there is a serious list of items on this thread, and after this year long purge, I'd suggest holding off on stocking too much since at least half of the list can easily be gotten at the local grocery or even corner store very quickly when needed. You still may ramp up pretty quickly, but at least you won't look back on that unopened year old bag of pine nuts and kick yourself because you didn't need them until then and now they are rancid.

I do like this thread as a general resource. If we organized it to a single master list it could be a great reference to have for someone looking to jump into a new cuisine, or even to just browse around for a new idea. Just my $0.02.


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## Lucretia (May 10, 2016)

I keep dried cranberries on hand. Great in cereal (hot or cold), salads, rice.

For minced garlic, I prefer dried to that in oil in jars. The flavor is much better IMO--just rehydate for a few minutes and it's pretty close to the real thing in an emergency. (I've used Penzey's for years. Always happy with their spices.)

Chili oil is a must-have. I use a sesame based chili oil in sauces, stews, soups, tomato sauce, etc etc. 

For veggies in the fridge, I try to always have mushrooms. Add some cheese and egg for omelet, make a sauce for steak, good in stir fry...so many uses. Another versatile one to have on hand--cabbage. Slaws, salads, sandwich toppings, good in soups and stews, and lasts a long time in the fridge.


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## apicius9 (May 11, 2016)

O.k., here the compilation so far. I agree with Strumke - having everything may lead to throwing things away, but I think it is a great list to look and start. I added a 'dried goods' section, and some things could be listed under different categories. So, what are we still missing? 

PANTRY

Basics

Salt (Kosher, sea, Maldon, red Hawaiian)
Black peppercorns
White peppercorns
Extra virgin olive oil (California Olive Ranch)
Vegetable oil
Apple cider vinegar
Red wine vinegar
Balsamic (Di Brunos 15y)
Rice vinegar (unseasoned)
Sherry vinegar (Don Bruno)
Datu Puti cane vinegar
Steens cane vinegar


Baking

Flour: all purpose, whole wheat, pastry, Italian 
Baking soda
Baking powder
Yeast 
Cream of tartar
Cocoa powder (unsweetened)
Chocolate: chips or bar
Evaporated milk
Pure vanilla extract


Sweeteners

Granulated sugar
Confectioners' sugar
Brown sugar
vanilla sugar
Maple syrup
Honey
Agave syrup
cane syrup
Karo syrup


Drinks

Coffee
Tea
Beer
Sake
Wine
Sherry


Rice and Grains

Rice: Long-grain white, Basmati, Japanese, Spanish, Italian, sticky, brown
Grains: bulgur, quinoa, couscous or farro
Pasta: standard, whole grain, rice noodles, egg noodles
Polenta
Grits (Hoppin Johns)
Breadcrumbs: plain or panko


Snacks and Cereals

Crackers
Tortillas
Cookies or biscuits
Pretzels
Marshmallows
Popcorn kernels
Dried fruit: raisins, apricots, cranberries, cherries
Seeds: sunflower, flax, chia or hemp
Peanut butter or almond butter
Applesauce
Breakfast cereal
Old-fashioned rolled oats


Canned Goods

Chicken broth
Campbell beef consomme 
Beans: cannellini, navy, chickpeas or black
Vegetables: hominy, corn or green beans
Olives or capers
Chiles: chipotles in adobo or pickled jalapenos
Salsa
Tomatoes: whole, plum
Tomato paste
Roasted red peppers
Tuna
Anchovy fillets or paste
Capers (brined or salted)
Spam


Dried Herbs and Spices

Bay leaves
Cajun seasoning
Cayenne pepper
Chili powder
Crushed red pepper
Curry powder
Fennel or dill seed
Granulated garlic
Ground cinnamon
Ground cloves
Ground cumin
Ground ginger
Oregano
Paprika: sweet, smoked, Spanish, Hungarian
Rosemary
Sesame seeds
Thyme
Whole nutmeg
Onion powder
garlic powder/granules
Italian seasoning
Saffron
Basque piment dspelette
Dried corn leaves
Szechuan Pepper
Whole cinnamon



REFRIGERATOR

Dairy and Eggs

Milk
Plain yogurt: regular or Greek
Unsalted butter
Cheddar or mozzarella
Goat cheese
Parmesan (wedge)
Eggs
Crème fraiche
Cream


Fresh Produce

Avocados
Carrots
Celery
Tomatoes: grape, cherry or seasonal beefsteak
Broccoli or cauliflower
Bell peppers
Leafy greens: spinach, kale or chard
Lettuce: romaine, Boston or mixed greens
Flat-leaf parsley or cilantro
Thyme
Scallions
Gingerroot
Potatoes: sweet, white or new
Onions
Garlic
Lemons
Limes
Apples
Bananas
Cabbage
mushrooms


Condiments

Jelly, jam or preserves
Ketchup
Mayonnaise
Mustard: Dijon, whole grain, spicy German, brown, Polish
Pickles
Hot sauce: Tabasco, Sriracha or sambal
Worcestershire sauce
Soy sauce or tamari (Shiro shoyu)
Asian fish sauce (Red Boat)
Toasted sesame oil
Chili oil
Mirin
Miso
Maggi
Thai curry paste
Gouchujang
dried chilies, guajillo, ancho, arbol etc
Ghee
Duck fat
cranberry relish
confit lemon
confit garlic
demi glace
Aji no Moto
Ponzu
Yuzu
truffle oil/salt/butter
truffle honey
minced garlic in oil
Taste #5 Umami bomb paste
Lazano salsa



Dried goods

dried mushrooms
Beans (red, black, lima, great norther)
Lentils (red, yellow, green, black, brown)
Bonito flakes
Kombu
Wakame
cashew nuts
walnuts
pine nuts


Freezer

Ground beef, ground turkey or Italian sausage
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Bacon
Bread: baguette or sandwich bread
Vegetables: peas, chopped spinach, corn, edamame
Fruit: berries, peaches or mangos
Nuts: almonds, walnuts or pecans
Dough: pizza, pie or puff pastry
Pierogi
Kielbasa
Vanilla ice cream + other flavors
frozen banana or taro leaves
Medallions of foie gras
kaffir, curry, bay leaves
bone marrow cubes
squid ink


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## Mucho Bocho (May 11, 2016)

It's a good if not a bit aspirational list. Some considerations: don't buy any spice/herb ground, buy a mortar/pestle (Thai). Don't buy chix off bone or without skin. Looks good though.


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## MontezumaBoy (May 11, 2016)

+1 to both of these comments one because I find myself there the other because toast (or not), grind and use is the only way ...



strumke said:


> I've been on a bit of a purge over the past year. I accumulated WAY too much of a lot of the things on this list and realized that some stuff was way too old and other stuff was getting way too old. I've made a conscious decision to stop buying more condiments, spices, grains, flour, noodles, oils, until I really made a good dent in the stuff I already had.





Mucho Bocho said:


> don't buy any spice/herb ground, buy a mortar/pestle


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## Talim (May 11, 2016)

Need to add tamarind paste/sauce and some rice noodles and you can make pad Thai. Lemon grass for Vietnamese dishes. Also keep some lumpia wrappers in the freezer.


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## Johnny.B.Good (May 11, 2016)

You people have bigger pantries than I do!

Really interesting thread.


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## akirapuff (May 13, 2016)

Elfen23 said:


> Danny and I had recently purchased some gouchujang. We found it a bit sweet? I have the same reaction to sriracha.
> 
> Is my heat meter just broken? It added reasonably good flavor, but not heat...
> 
> Sorry if this hijacks the thread - just a curiosity.


 Yea you're right gochujang is not really spicy, it just looks like it is. I used to think sriracha was spicy when I was young, but now I feel that its too sweet also.


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## akirapuff (May 13, 2016)

Did anyone say hondashi yet?


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## Uffduh (May 13, 2016)

Another one for popcorn...or for topping butter on bread....or salads and pasta...Bragg's Nutritional Yeast

Noticed lemongrass is missing, as long as we're spending your money


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## Scrap (May 23, 2016)

I always try to keep a few dry goods I can make a solid meal out of when flat broke. Namely: masa harina and pintos, red lentils and atta flour, generally any legume/starch combo. Also good if you have any use of it is the boxed tofu. It actually has better flavor than the bland water packed stuff as doesn't need refrigeration + lasts forever.


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## apicius9 (May 23, 2016)

Long day at work, thought I might as well go to the supermarket and get started on the list while it is a bit quieter. Spent about $250 and it feels like I checked off about 8 items of the list... Well, not quite, but it just adds up very quickly. Next stop: Japanese store. 

Stefan


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (May 24, 2016)

+1 on the Gochujang and Gochugaru. Some Doenjang too. All these are also very useful in chinese dishes (Gochujang can reasonably stand in for Doubanjang in some cases). 


Note: vegetarian bias in the following lists... just some extensions for various asian cuisines.

While on the topic of chinese: Dried shiitake. Chinkiang vinegar, and also good clear rice vinegar. Dark, light and shiitake soy sauces - full salt for the first two in case you are low on fridge space. Peanuts roasted and unroasted. Light and dark rice wines. Five spice. Ground and whole sichuan pepper. Salted black beans. Dried mandarin or tangerine peel (can DIY. Do not substitute orange peels and don't ask... . Mushroom sauce (or the actual oyster sauce it replaces. <> shiitake soy sauce!!). Chili Garlic sauce (I tend to use Srijaja Panich even if it is thai). Various bagged pickles. Sufu (not stinky sufu unless real adventurous). The edible furniture (whole spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamoms, star anise...). Freezer: Wrappers. Various noodles.

South indian: Grated coconut and curry leaves both in the FREEZER. The dried variants are...censored. The whole selection of edible furniture. Tamarind en bloc. Coconut milk as described below. Good coconut oil.

General indian: Asafoetida. Deggi Mirch. WHOLE cumin/fennel/fenugreek... and DARK mustard seeds. Good GROUND coriander and cumin, optionally both roasted and unroasted each. Decent garam masala. Decent Saffron. Sambhar Powder (unlike curry powder, a mixture that is actually used readymade often).Edible furniture again. Besan. Dried Chili. Dried legumes galore. Optionally dried fenugreek leaves. Optionally a good fenugreek seed powder (shifts things in a more anglo-indian direction). Some good flour for roti (real atta is lovely!, otherwise substitute a fine wholewheat or whole spelt flour) FRESH: Green chili. Cilantro (optionally GARDEN). Yoghurt.

Look at what belongs in a 7-compartment masala dabba when confused about indian spices; that is the most essential set. 

Thai: Sticky rice, Pickled radish, rice noodles of all kinds, peanuts roasted and unroasted, dried whole red chili, basic indian spices (for yellow, massaman, khao soy... pastes), soy sauces as in chinese, coconut milk as below, all the fish products if you eat fish (if not, stock up on soy sauce varieties, marmite, nooch, other fermented products). FREEZER/FRIDGE: kaffir Leaves, limes, galangal, lemongrass, fresh turmeric (divine in khao soi - careful, stains like hell and can taste nauseatingly intense!), garlic chives (allium tuberosum - optionally GARDEN , fresh red chilies (for salads mostly, curry pastes tend to use dried). Cilantro for some things too.


A variety of Coconut Milk and -Cream of any non-adulterated (skip the stuff that has E-anything, or casein, or any-glycer-anything in it) brand you can get. They differ hugely (texture, subtle off-tastes, splitting behaviour under heat!) and are fit for different purposes.


Peanut oil for all stir frying or stovetop deep frying - technically lower smoke point than the soy oil often sold, but far more resilient from my experience.

Re: Basmati Rice: If you are ok with the price - Stock Tilda. The stuff is clean, genuine and *consistent* unlike quite many brands.

For who loves risotto: Arborio rice. SMALL bottles of good white wine unless you drink the leftovers anyway. Whatever you think makes a good broth.

Baking/Sweets: You can never have enough ground and whole nuts, nor enough dried fruit or good liquors (Grand Marnier, DiSaronno...)


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## Mucho Bocho (May 24, 2016)

Life I've enjoyed your pantry suggestion. You described my pantry quite well add some harisa, long pepper, micro encapsulated levener and dehydrated malt syrup. Curious where you get "The whole selection of edible furniture."


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## apicius9 (May 25, 2016)

Wow, lots of stuff. I am not sure I am capable - or want to be equipped - to cook meals from any regional or ethnic background on a whim, so I will certainly have to set priorities. For me, that means some basic Japanese staples, filling my masala dabba with the basics, and looking more into Thai cuisine which is the main one that I would like to learn more about. But I definitely appreciate all the ideas. Some things I have to look up... I was thinking about getting some fresh herbs, and maybe a small laurel and a kaffir lime tree, we'll see.


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## LifeByA1000Cuts (May 25, 2016)

Most of the non-dried things you need for Thai pastes freeze well, luckily.


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