What Pantry Item Are You Never Out Of?

[Jinmyo]

Occasionally I've not had fresh coriander when needed but that's about it.

A good inventory system cures all. On clipboards or taped inside fridges and cupboards, done at least weekly (we currently do it 5 times weekly).

In terms pf what I could not do without, well, I get a bit squirelly when the gohan is at half a bin. Thai rice can get to a quarter of a bin and I'm all smiling and stuff. But gohan at half a bin and I get the shakes.

[kimabima]

Coffee and bread!!! I can't imagine a morning without either one of these staples! :

[EdS]

EVOO

grapeseed oil

butter

sea salt, fleur de sel

black pepper

crème fraîche

steel-cut oatmeal

basmati rice

bananas

eggs

soy milk

Edited to correct the obvious omission of pepper.

Edited December 13, 2003 by esvoboda (log)

[Susan in FL]

Well you started this with the mention of rice... We always have rice: Arborio or Carnaroli, medium grain, long grain, and of late, some other varieties new to us.

An assortment of pastas

Garlic

Cornmeal for polenta, and grits

EV olive oil

An assortment of vinegars

Butter

Olives

Dijon

Tomatoes: always sun-dried and usually fresh and canned.

Sea salt, and whole peppercorns to grind

Anchovies

Coffee, beer, and wine

We often run out of bread and milk.

[Mayhaw Man]

Rice

Canned Tomatoes of various types

Butter

Garlic

Yellow Onions

Celery

Bell Pepper

Worchestershire

Sea Salt

Whole black pepper and a very efficient grinder

Bacon

Oh yeah, Okra. Can't ever have enough okra.

Geez. You'd know where this guy was from even if he wasn't Host of a particular state forum!

But no cayenne?

I wasn't counting spices. I am always concious of bandwidth usage

Edited to add-Community Dark Roast Coffee-The Breakfast of Champions

[snowangel]

I always have larp ingredients on hand.

The two things I MUST have at all times are bacon (from at least two differnt butchers) and those little Thai hot peppers.

[Larry]

We always have plenty of wine, rice, frozen homemade pierogies, evoo and balsamic, canned tomatoes.

[Modern Day Hermit]

Basmati Rice

Jasmine Rice

Variety of asian noodles and italian pastas

fish sauce

lemon grass

kaffir lime leaf

curry leaf

Atta flour

Onions (red and yellow)

Garlic

Serrano Chiles

Numerous dhals

canned tomatoes

lemons and limes

Olive Oil and Ghee -- at a bare minimum

Ginger root

Loose tea for chai

Tons of whole spices

[pjs]

Flat Leaf Parsley.

PJ

[Andrew Fenton]

Since I got no organizational skillz, the only things I'm never out of are the things I never use. That box of kasha in the back of the cabinet will soon celebrate its third anniversary as an inhabitant of my apartment. I suspect that the tub of margarine lurking in my fridge has been receiving mail for months now. But I have a hard time keeping a constant supply of, say, flour.

[Pan]

In this period in my life, I seldom cook. However, I like to have some Sambal Oelek around to add to chicken brother in Chinese chicken noodle soups and such-like. I also like for there to be some plain yogurt around to eat.

But how about my parents? I know a lot about what they never like to run out of, because I'm their designated shopper for all Asian ingredients (whether Indian, Chinese, or Korean) and often help my father in the kitchen simply by finding stuff for him in the spice cabinet. I won't say my parents never run out of these things, but they'd rather not and try not to (in no order other than the order I think of them):

Onions, shallots, garlic, fresh ginger, salt, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, cayenne pepper, soy sauce, rice wine, turmeric, coriander, cardamom, asafoetida, fenugreek, urad dal, black mustard seeds, dried basil and oregano (fresh used in season), rosemary, thyme, fresh Italian parsley, potatoes, saffron, non-fat milk, coffee, non-fat ricotta cheese which my father eats mixed with fruit (I hate that stuff, but he's used to it), some kind of hard cheese like cheddar, imported parmeggiano, belacan (shrimp sauce), basmati rice, bay leaves, curry leaves, salam leaves, EVOO, sesame oil, mustard oil, canola oil, rice wine vinegar or/and cider vinegar, dried whole hot peppers, fresh jalapenos. [Edit because I forgot the plain yogurt, so useful in many Indian recipes. My father also likes to have cans of organic plain chicken stock around. And now I realize I left out dried pasta.]

As you might gather, my father cooks mostly Indian, Chinese, Indonesian, and Italian food, and my parents have a very full spice cabinet. But whenever they're running out of their basmati rice, coriander, rice wine, superior soy sauce, etc., I bring them some more on my next trip. As for the European ingredients, they do fine on the Upper West Side.

Edited December 13, 2003 by Pan (log)

[iain]

coffee

rice

butter

onions

garlic

fish sauce

oil (usually olive)

chicken thighs (for some reason, I always seem to have some on hand)

[Suzanne F]

I suppose I should add my own list:

butter

eggs

bread

cheese -- because if I've got these 4 items, I can make a LOT of different meals

rice

pasta

shallots (I find them more convenient than onions)

frozen chopped spinach

tea

hot sauce (it would probably be impossible to run out, anyway; I've got so many)

wine

and of course salt and pepper

[Chad]

It shames me to admit that I have run out of garlic, olive oil, rice and black pepper at various times. I have never, however, run out of wine or hot sauce. Those two things are always to hand.

Chad

[suzilightning]

good tinned tomatoes

kosher salt

sparkling wine(champagne, prosecco, cava, etc.)

tinned crab

tinned tuna in oil

dried pastas

rices(not necessarily white - had to buy that last weekend to make the vanilla soymilk rice pudding)

tinned or frozen green beans

i buy my meat and fish fresh(except during sept-nov when i live out of my freezer)also the trips to the greengrocer for seasonal veg.

if the weather reports hold for tomorrow we will use the turkey broth from the freezer to make soup tomorrow with garlic, tinned white beans, broccoli rabe and ham.

Edited December 14, 2003 by suzilightning (log)

[Johnnybird]

Toast Dope

This is my own take on cinnamon sugar which has cinnamon, sugar, freshly grated nutmeg, orange peel and raw sugar.

I use it for toast and, since Susan made the rice pudding last weekend, as a topping for that.

[KarenS]

capers, canned tomatoes, black pepper, salt, vinegars, olive oil, miso, thai curry paste, anchovies, brown rice, dried beans, coffee (hopefully Peets), chipoltes, mustard, cat food!

[cjs]

Now I get it!!!!

E-extra V-virgin O-olive O-oil

did I feel out of the loop

[bloviatrix]

We're never out of cereal. If we drop below 5 boxes in reserve, it means we need to shop.

Actually, I always keep a minimum of two of everything - the one I'm using, and a back-up just in case I run out in the middle of doing my mise.

I will admit, we don't have any long-grain rice currently, but that's because we're trying to cut back. We do have 5 pounds of basmati, and other assorted varieties.

I like to think I'm pretty well stocked.

Edited December 14, 2003 by bloviatrix (log)

[Nick]

Rice

Canned Tomatoes of various types

Butter

Garlic

Yellow Onions

Celery

Bell Pepper

Worchestershire

Sea Salt

Whole black pepper and a very efficient grinder

Bacon

Oh yeah, Okra. Can't ever have enough okra.

Geez. You'd know where this guy was from even if he wasn't Host of a particular state forum!

But no cayenne?

Hey Dave, Loosiana or Maine, that's the list. I'd just add dry beans, potatoes, and shallots. And meat in the freezer.

[Susan in FL]

Toast Dope

This is my own take on cinnamon sugar which has cinnamon, sugar, freshly grated nutmeg, orange peel and raw sugar.

I use it for toast and, since Susan made the rice pudding last weekend, as a topping for that.

That sounds good! I'm going to put some of that together, after I can pull myself away from the television, rejoicing on the capture of Saddam Hussein. :horray:

[fifi]

Many thanks for the Toast Dope idea. My sister and I have a pile of lovely tan crystal sugar that we got from a friend who's family grows sugar in Louisiana. I think we will make up a big batch of Toast Dope to give away as treats for the holidays. Ooooo... A good excuse to play with my microplane.

[Mabelline]

When I first saw catfood I thought it was outta place. Then my smarter side realized that yep, cat food is always carefully in stock. We can go without something but those cats do not understand "Shut up, it's 4:30,". I had a basset hound who was even better at reproach than most cats. Piss her off, she got right in front of you and sat down with her back to you.

[arjay]

GRITS

[fifi]

I had a basset hound who was even better at reproach than most cats. Piss her off, she got right in front of you and sat down with her back to you.

My late, great basset hound took a more direct approach. If I didn't have her small Milkbones in stock, she could really get pissed and stare you down. It was a ritual that when I got home from work, she got 3 Milkbones. If I ran out, I was in for a WHOLE EVENING of her following me around. When I sat down, she would sit down and start the staring. It got really uncomfortable. Milkbones were always in my pantry.