How 'bout your pantry?

I have a pretty well-stocked pantry, freezer and refrigerator because I don't particularly enjoy going out for one or two ingredients.

Yesterday, I was looking through a Rick Bayless cookbook trying to figure out what to make for dinner. Bingo! I made pork with a yellow mole sauce, accompanied by soft, corn tortillas. Yum. And what made it better was I had all the ingredients on hand, including arcane ones such as dried guajillo chiles and fresh cilantro. (I'm a bit of a squirrel.)

So, the question is how well-stocked are you?

(Note to Stuart: I didn't say well-stacked.)

Larry, I'm resigned to the fact that it takes me 5 trips to the basement to change a light bulb. When is comes to food, I'm not very organized, but I don't mind going uptown and doing some shopping. I try to have all the staples but more often than not, I find I'm heading uptown to get my sesame seeds or something. If I'm set on having something in particular for dinner, I will not change the menu if I'm out of something. I suppose gas prices, combined with my distance from town, might change me evil ways, but probably not.

[Jenise]

Very well-stocked, Larry. For one, I want everything possible in terms of dry goods at my fingertips so that last minute inspirations can all be satisfied. But more than that, when it comes to the freezer and the fridge, it's a practical matter: I live a ways out of the city, and a "quick dash" out to buy one thing is an hour round trip so I rely heavily on a well-stocked freezer, and more unused produce spoils before I get around to using it. When I lived more urban, I shopped close to every other day--I love shopping for food and want my ingredients as fresh as possible.

My pantry and shopping habits are in the midst of radical change.

I am not quite done moving into the city from my sleepy little village 30 miles out. My new home is 3 blocks from the grocery store I most often patronize, so it now becomes much more possible to shop every couple days instead of trying to have everything on hand all the time.

While having a horrendous commute, I detested shopping, because I could only go during the after work rush, or drive back in on the weekends when the stores are slammed. Now I can take 30 minutes sometime in the evening and just bop over for a few days' items. It rocks.

I am well stocked for the type of foods that I like to cook most often. But, whenever I want to venture into new territory, I find that I invariably have to go shopping for a thing or two. But usually, not more than a couple of items (like preserved lemons or grape leaves). My problem is, I will cook a cuisine a few times, then find myself left with items that I most likely will not use again for awhile, if ever. But, I never quite know when to throw them out, because I always believe I'm going to need it again in a month or so. Ever happen to you?

I hear you, Jo Ann!

While I was cleaning out the cabinets in my old place last night, I came across a 1/2 pound of powdered sugar. I cannot even imagine when I might have purchased it or what I might have used it for. Maybe cream cheese icing for a carrot cake? (Which I haven't made in about 4 years.)

I've got a LOT of extra Szechuan peppercorn...

I've got a LOT of extra Szechuan peppercorn...

I do too. Tragically, I now think I'm allergic to it.

Wow! Princess! You gave up living in that beautiful little village?

OK, I understand not wanting the commute - I hate traffic and driving in it. But, doggone that sretch of countryside around Glorieta and Pecos is so darn pretty.

Doug, it's a long story. I very unexpectedly had to move. I'll PM you!

I'm pretty lean in the stocking department -- a really good store is a three mile walk round trip away, and I use it for almost everything.

If we find some great produce, we stock up -- baking apples and sweet potatoes, for example -- the wine cellar multitasks in this house. And a good supply of the few frozen vegetables and fruits we like. An extensive, but small quantity of spices -- I like them as fresh as possible.

Generally, though, we buy from Costco what's on offer and looks top flight, buy from various online suppliers to the extent of their maximum discounts -- salmon and tuna for example -- and have a good supply of emergency foods -- a hold over from the A-bomb shelter days when I believed the Mormon injunction that one had an obligation to maintain a year's supply of food.

It's all still edible according to the dating, but I'm slowly working it down -- seven months and counting at the moment.

Regards, Bob

[Robin Garr]

I am well stocked for the type of foods that I like to cook most often. But, whenever I want to venture into new territory, I find that I invariably have to go shopping for a thing or two. But usually, not more than a couple of items (like preserved lemons or grape leaves). My problem is, I will cook a cuisine a few times, then find myself left with items that I most likely will not use again for awhile, if ever. But, I never quite know when to throw them out, because I always believe I'm going to need it again in a month or so. Ever happen to you?

You have just described me! Now I don't need to type all that.

[Jenise]

Doug, it's a long story. I very unexpectedly had to move. I'll PM you!

Ouch, sorry to hear that, girlfriend. But it sounds like you're looking for the blessings, and shopping is certainly one.

Stocked?


Just the basics.


We are a fresh ingredients/wait to the last minute types around here.