juices? Because they are full of sugar without the positive nutritional benefits of fresh fruit’s fiber.
IN THE FREEZER
Chicken, cut up
Chili, homemade, or other dishes that freeze well, such as beans and soups without dairy ingredients
Cookie rolls, homemade (ready to bake)
Garam masala and any other spice mixes
Ice cream
Nuts, especially high-oil nuts that can become rancid easily, such as walnuts and pecans
Pancetta, an Italian bacon that adds complexity of flavor to many dishes, especially soups and stews
Rolls, good-quality (for last-minute needs)
Sausages: good-quality pork, turkey, chicken, including chorizo, lap cheong, breakfast
Spices and dried chiles, all types
IN THE PANTRY
I buy most of these items in bulk and store them in large jars, a practice that saves a lot of money and is environmentally more responsible, as it avoids excessive packaging.
Anchovies packed in oil
Beans: garbanzo, black, pinto, kidney (dried and canned)
Bulgur wheat
Capers
Chicken broth, canned or boxed
Chocolate chips and baking chocolate
Coconut milk
Dried fruit: raisins, cranberries, apricots
Extracts: vanilla and almond
Flour: white, pastry, rye, bread
Flour for pasta: 00 (finely milled) and semolina (coarsely milled durum wheat)
Lentils of various colors
Nuts, roasted, such as almonds
Oats, whole
Oils: grapeseed, olive, sesame
Pasta, dried, several varieties
Polenta, quinoa
Rice: long-grain, short-grain, black
Salt: iodized, kosher, sea
Soy sauce, fish sauce, hoisin sauce
Spices, ground: mustard and paprika (store up to six months)
Spices, whole: allspice, black pepper, cardamom, caraway seeds, cinnamon, cloves, cumin, fennel seeds, mustard seeds, nutmeg, saffron
Sugars: granulated, brown, honey, molasses, maple syrup
Tamarind paste
Tomatoes: canned, sun-dried, sauce
Vinegars: sherry, champagne, apple cider, red wine
It is worth paying a bit more for good storage items, including glass and good-quality plastic containers, as well as resealable bags for the refrigerator and freezer. The investment will be made up in food that remains fresh. I don’t recommend using glass in the freezer, as liquid expands as it freezes and can cause glass to crack.
HERBS TO GROW
California has a year-round outdoor growing season. In colder climates, plant in a generous-size pot that can be moved indoors or outdoors, depending on the temperature.
Basil (spring and summer)
Tarragon (spring and summer)
Chives (all year)
Marjoram (all year)
Parsley (all year)
Rosemary (all year)
Thyme and/or oregano (all year)
A WORD ON FOOD SOURCES
Recent news about the origins of food, how it is processed, and its safety should not be taken lightly. Paying less for poor ingredients is a false economy, as you can end up with food that does not taste good or store well because it is not fresh.
Chicken and beef are often raised in cruel environments, and ranching has proved to be one of the most environmentally degrading processes affecting our water and land. In some cases, particularly with meat and eggs, you are eating food that has been raised with growth-producing hormones that may be linked to breast and other cancers.
Imagine what it requires to raise a cow versus a row of lettuce!
So consider eating more grains, fruits, and vegetables, and include meat as a condiment rather than the centerpiece of your meal. You will save money, possibly lose weight, and, if you eat products from smaller farms or ranches, you can be more secure about the health and quality of what you eat while supporting the local economy.
COOKING EQUIPMENT
To cook well, you need to invest in equipment. Even our son has a decent set of knives and pots and pans, and has really enjoyed his adventures in cooking. This list is presented here in order of the most basic to more specialized to respond to your developing abilities and interests. If, for example, you find that you are more interested in baking, you can build on this and treat yourself to some of the many specialty pans. They are beautiful!
THE BASICS FOR NEW COOKS
Apron
Basting brush, silicon
Blender
Can opener
Ceramic baking dishes: rectangular and oval (all ovenproof, varied sizes)
Colander
Corkscrew
Cutting board (I like a heavy wooden board for stability)
Dish towels, tea towels
Dutch oven; enameled cast-iron is the best, and worth it
Flatware, service for 6 (forks, knives, soup spoons, coffee spoons)
Frying pans: 8- and 11-inch nonstick
Garlic press (and here is the commercial: Zyliss is the only way to go)
Half-sheet pans, at least 2 (the most versatile
