Restocking the fridge from the ground up

[Fat Guy]

So we've talked about whether we need to get rid of what's in our fridge post-blackout.

Assume you got rid of absolutely everything, right down to the condiments, right down to the bottle of hot sauce in the way back that's been in there . . . oh my god has it really been 11 years?

So now you have the chance to restock a fridge from scratch. What do you buy?

I considered some of these issues while at the big ShopRite supermarket in Paramus. My goal was to re-equip my fridge after discarding its contents. One thing I immediately realized was how far I've migrated from using most standard supermarket products, and also how limited my inventory needs to be to cook the basic things I like to cook. Though I discarded probably 40 condiments and things of that nature when I cleaned out the fridge, I only purchased three replacements: Heinz ketchup, Hellman's mayo, and Hebrew National deli mustard. Almost everything else, I either don't need or I need to get at an ethnic or gourmet market (a few Asian condiments, a better class of mustard, etc.).

[slbunge]

mmmmmmmm.....Hellman's

If I was stocking the fridge from scratch and found myself at the megamarket, in addition to Hellman's and Heinz, I would also come home with a bottle of Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce, a jar of Claussen's sliced bread and butter pickles, a can of Frank's kraut (to open and put in a jar in the fridge), and a can of Herdez chipotles in adobo (again with the 'open can, pour into jar').

I'm sure I would find more while walking the aisles.

[Dave the Cook]

It's even simpler than that. Ketchup goes in the pantry, not the fridge. Same for Worcestershire.

Seriously, I was pondering this myself just yesterday, as I rifled through at least a dozen 3/4-full condiment bottles to find room for a carton of half-and half: three or four kinds of pickles; the same number of mustards; a couple bottles of home-made stir-fry sauces; capers; tubes of abandoned tomato and anchovy paste; a half-pint of heavy cream with an expiration date that coincided with the Bush inauguration. And this was just the door. Where does all this crap come from? Who put it here?

Kinda makes me wish for a power failure.

[bloviatrix]

If restocking the fridge from scratch, the first things I would buy are milk, eggs, butter, orange juice and dijon mustard. Maybe some yogurt. Then I would buy the rest on an "as needed" basis.

[Fat Guy]

a bottle of Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce

What do you use it for? Historically, I've always had some around but have never used it for anything.

a jar of Claussen's sliced bread and butter pickles

Pickles were in my cart, though I got refrigerated half-sours.

a can of Frank's kraut (to open and put in a jar in the fridge), and a can of Herdez chipotles in adobo (again with the 'open can, pour into jar').

Are these regional products not from my region (New York Metro) or am I just culturally illiterate?

[Fat Guy]

If restocking the fridge from scratch, the first things I would buy are milk, eggs, butter, orange juice and dijon mustard.  Maybe some yogurt.

i was thinking about long-haul refrigerator staples rather than perishables meant for near-future consumption, but if you expand it to include things like eggs and butter those things were definitely in my cart. I don't drink packaged orange juice and the supermarket didn't have a dijon mustard that was satisfactory to me, but I got those other things plus a couple of types of cheese, some cold cuts, and various fresh fruits and vegetables. The corn and melons in NJ supermarkets are amazingly good right now, by the way.

Then I would buy the rest on an "as needed" basis.

That was my first instinct. Then I realized how many zillion trips to the store I'd have to make at times not of my choosing when I needed an essential ingredient -- which means paying $6 on the Upper East Side for something I can get for $1-$2 at a suburban supermarket. So I've been trying to do all my core restocking in a few big shopping trips.

[enthusiast]

tomato puree? or isn't the supermarket stuff good enough stateside? [i keep mine in the fridge but maybe Dave's is in the larder]

[jackal10]

a bottle of Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce

What do you use it for? Historically, I've always had some around but have never used it for anything.

Bloody or Vrgin Mary; anything with tomato puree

Welsh Rabbit/ Cheese on toast

Devilled anything

One of the more useful bottled sauces.

but Dave is right: it does not need refrigerating.

Nor do I refrigerate mustard. I can't imagine that spoiling in 24 hours of heat in a closed jar. Similarly the ketchup or the mayo.

Edited August 19, 2003 by jackal10 (log)

[slbunge]

Are these regional products not from my region (New York Metro) or am I just culturally illiterate?

Well, Frank's Kraut is as popular in Wisconsin owing to the German/Polish immigrant heritage and the continuing popularity of brats and polish sausages. Herdez Mexican food products are widely available in Milwaukee supermarkets but I'm not sure how wide their distribution spreads.

As to the use of Worcestershire sauce, I use it in mushroom dishes and, as suggested, tomato dishes. I don't use it a lot but there is no substitute when a recipe has it listed.

[Jinmyo]

Kimchi.

[tommy]

a bottle of Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce

What do you use it for? Historically, I've always had some around but have never used it for anything.

adding my two cents, i use this to marinate (along with soy and black pepper), skirt steak when making fajitas.

[=Mark]

Hoboken Eddie's Mean Green Hotsauce.

[lamb]

a bottle of Lea and Perrins worcestershire sauce

What do you use it for? Historically, I've always had some around but have never used it for anything.

adding my two cents, i use this to marinate (along with soy and black pepper), skirt steak when making fajitas.

I have a receipe for a bbq sauce that calls for a dash of W. Sauce along with some coleman's mustard and cayenne pepper. Some other stuff in there too (ketchup, red wine vinegar...). Yum.

[Fat Guy]

Nor do I refrigerate mustard. I can't imagine that spoiling in 24 hours of heat in a closed jar.

It's more a question of it losing flavor over 5 or 10 years than it spoiling in 24 hours. Although I don't agree with you on the mayo point (that's a substance worth handling with care, even the commercial variety), I certainly agree that the rest of the sealed jars in my fridge would have been safe to eat post-blackout. But I took it as a sign that it was time to clear out and start over. Had I theoretically purchased some mustard last week I might have kept it. But I can't remember the last time I bought mustard -- maybe 1998 when I was working on an article for Food & Wine about mail-order products and ordered like 20 kinds from mustardstore.com.

[tommy]

But I can't remember the last time I bought mustard -- maybe 1998 when I was working on an article for Food & Wine about mail-order products and ordered like 20 kinds from mustardstore.com.

i use a lot of mustard, usually for =mark's south carolina mustard barbeque sauce. you should too.

[=Mark]

It's more a question of it losing flavor over 5 or 10 years than it spoiling in 24 hours. Although I don't agree with you on the mayo point (that's a substance worth handling with care, even the commercial variety),

Actually this is a common misperception. Due to the high percentage of oil and acidity mayonaise actually acts as a preservative, isolating bacteria and preventing it's spread. Generally the mayo laden foods such as salads are at risk more from their protein content such as eggs, cheese and meats.

This is demonstrated when a nearly empty jar of mayo is left unopen at room temperature. The mayo left in the jar wil change from opaque to translucent over a period of days, but will not spoil or mold (this info was gleaned from carefully monitored experiments... ).

[tommy]

This is demonstrated when a nearly empty jar of mayo is left unopen at room temperature.  The mayo left in the jar wil change from opaque to translucent over a period of days, but will not spoil or mold (this info was gleaned from carefully monitored experiments...  ).

i wonder what would happen if that same jar were left in a warm fridge with all kinds of bacteria growing in it?

folks, chuck your mayo.

Edited August 19, 2003 by tommy (log)

[Dave the Cook]

Although I don't agree with you on the mayo point (that's a substance worth handling with care, even the commercial variety) . . .

Seems like we went through this a few months ago. From the Best Foods web site (Best makes both Hellman's and Best):

Unopened jars of mayonnaise and mayonnaise dressing may be stored at room temperature. Once opened, mayonnaise should be refrigerated to maintain its flavor. Storage temperature affects product quality. High temperatures will accelerate loss of fresh flavor . . .

and

Before and after opening, Hellmann's® Mayonnaise is microbiologically safe to eat for an indefinite period of time.

and

Strict processing controls, the acidity from vinegar and lemon juice, plus the use of pasteurized egg products assure the highest level of food safety and quality in Hellmann's® Mayonnaise. Common sense plays a key role in food safety, so keep in mind that mayonnaise dishes such as salads, dips, sauces, and spreads contain other perishable ingredients, and should be kept chilled until serving time.

In other words, it's an issue of flavor rather than safety. (I keep mine in the fridge.)

[Dave the Cook]

As for Worcestershire: tommy's two-for-two.

Also, when reading recipes, I've gotten in the habit of mentally substituting it when I see the words "soy sauce" and "fish sauce." Sometimes I get a nice variation on an old standard.

[Suzanne F]

Note to FG: Herdez products are available here; I get them at the Pathmark under the Manhattan Bridge. But La Morena is a bit more prevalent.

As I mentioned in another thread on refrigerators, I firmly believe that condiments procreate on their own in the fridge. Or possibly mutate and split. There is no other way to explain the four jars of red chili paste on my top shelf. No other possible explanation. After all, I'd hate to think that I suffer from such a severe case of AAA*. A mild case, yes -- which explains the multiple bottle of kekap manis in the closet -- but surely not one that requires stronger on-going treatment than strictly keeping an inventory list for all kitchen storage facilities.

Perhaps my case of AAA was brought on by excess Worcestershire-sniffing during college, an addiction I fought for many years but have had under control quite a while now. I always thought it was a fairly harmless pastime -- surely no worse than HWOE's tendency to sniff freshly-opened bottles of Red Hook ESB -- but perhaps the consequences were longer-range than I imagined. Does anyone know of any studies I could check?

*alimentation-acquisitional amnesia. You can look it up in DSM.

[enthusiast]

multiple condiments in the fridge are a useful economy measure. if they weren't there, there would be more room in the fridge and you would have to go and buy more things to put in it.

i also recommend wrapping things in tin foil, they last much longer. because you don't remember what's inside you don't eat it, so they carry on taking up room which (see above) stops you buying even more...

[Dave the Cook]

multiple condiments in the fridge are a useful economy measure. if they weren't there, there would be more room in the fridge and you would have to go and buy more things to put in it.

i also recommend wrapping things in tin foil, they last much longer. because you don't remember what's inside you don't eat it, so they carry on taking up room which (see above) stops you buying even more...

I'm partial to translucent plastic containers for this very reason. Once that blue/gray/green stuff completely obscures the contents, you have a concealment device that's every bit as effective as foil.

[Fat Guy]

I don't wish to turn this into a duplicate of the food-safety thread, so I'll keep all my comments regarding safety issues over there.

[fresco]

Just did an inventory of the jams, jellies, flavorings and condiments in the fridge--and this is AFTER a recent campaign to have a bunch of stuff, including mustards and peanut butters, removed and stored in cupboards:

Two jars Hellman's mayo (one never opened)

black bean sauce

white truffle oil

Something labelled "Irish style caramel sauce". !

capers

anchovies

"tangy dill" relish

sweet mango chutney (bought)

various fruit chutney (home made)

jar of pesto sauce (bought)

maple syrup

three varieties of olives in brine

fish sauce

ketchup

2 bottles oyster flavored sauce

chocolate syrup

jar home made strawberry jam

jar home made wild blueberry sauce

jar cornichons

This is in addition to one cupboard completely packed with variations on these things, and another cupboard with probably a dozen of them.

[bloviatrix]

On the condiment side, I always require a supply of soy sauce, capers, and chipotles in adobo.

I also keep walnut oil in the fridge.