Having a well stocked Pantry is a must for successful baking and cooking experiences, and with a little preparation you can set yourself up for preparing your favourites and trying out new recipes with ease!
Start by taking an inventory of what you have in your Pantry:
• You'll want a pad of paper and start your checklist for what you need to replace.
• Do a section at a time so that you don't get overwhelmed. It's tempting to haul everything out, but it might get to be too much!
• Clear out the old items by checking expiry dates and dispose of them.
• With the hot weather we've had, and if you don't have air conditioning, there is the potential that oils could go rancid while sitting in the cupboard. Check the opened bottles and if it appears they have gone bad then throw those out as well.
Now you can simply replace the items you have removed. But this is also a great time to decide what you want to add to your Pantry! A great place to figure out what to add is to look at a cook book and see what they recommend for stocking your shelves. We love Suzanne Lenzer's cookbook Graze, where she has put together a great list of items for the Pantry, plus essential food staples including for the fridge and freezer.
Suzanne's recommendations:
• Olive Oil
• Sea Salt (finely ground)
• Maldron Sea Salt Flakes
• Sherry Vinegar (you can stock red or white vinegar if you prefer)
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Dijon Mustard (classic and country-style)
• Dried Pasta
• Grissini (thin breadsticks packaged is fine)
• Crackers or Flatbreads
• Canned Gigante Beans
• Canned Black Beans
• Canned Chickpeas
• Canned Cannellini Beans
• Anchovies
• Sardines
• Sun-dried Tomatoes
• Nuts (almonds, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, etc)
• Mayonnaise
• Soy Sauce
• Fish Sauce
• Toasted Sesame Oil
• Chili Sauce or Paste
• All-purpose Flour
• Baking Powder & Soda
• Sugar (granulated, brown and powdered)
• Active Dry Yeast
Spices are a serious consideration while restocking your Pantry, even if you don't keep them in there!
• Black Peppercorns (get a pepper mill if you don't have one yet)
• Red Chili Flakes
• Smoked Paprika
• Fennel Seeds
• Bay Leaves
• Ground Cumin
• Ground Coriander
• Cayenne Pepper
• Ground Ginger
• Ground Tumeric
• Vanilla Extract
• Almond Extract
Take this list and match existing items that are still in your Pantry, and go shop for the rest, and you will be well set up for cooking this Fall. We have a great selection of recipe books at the store, stop by to browse and pick the best ones for your cooking adventures! 12539 102 Avenue, Edmonton, AB
