Text 14834, 215 rader
Skriven 2007-04-30 18:21:50 av DAVE SACERDOTE (1:123/140)
     Kommentar till en text av SEAN DENNIS
Ärende: Staples
===============
I like Jim's list, and it's very similar to mine, so until I 
hear from you about your preferences, I'll riff off of his with
my own amplifications and suggestions.
               
-> a good variety of spices and herbs

Yes.  As you cook more and learn what you like, you'll find that you
use some more than others.  Get smaller jars of the ones you only
use occasionally, and buy in bulk those that you use all the time.
For me, the bulk packs are thyme, cumin, bayleaves, peppercorns, and
paprika.  Some things - parsely, basil, sage, celery leaf -  I buy and
use fresh, but keep small amounts of dried on hand just in case I run
out.


-> jar full of dried lemon and orange peels

Same here, but I also have grapefruit peels because I eat a grapefruit
a day in  season but not so many oranges.  Grapefruit and orange peel
are nearly indistinguishable after drying.

-> a small electric coffee mill for grinding spices
-> another coffee mill (for coffee)

My coffee bean grinder is an oval Krups model. My spice grinder
is a square Oster model.  The spice grinder also  has SPICE ONLY
written on it in Sharpie.  Sounds obvious, but... [g]

-> pepper mill

I have a pepper mill for the table and another for the stove.
Buy good ones, and they will last you forever (both of mine are
nearly 25 years old and still work as well as new.)  You can 
save big bucks by buying these at yard sales.

-> garlic

-> a selection of tea, tisanes and coffees

My daughter keeps flavored coffees on hand.  I just like
regular old Joe, but recently I discovered the joys of strong
black Italian espresso, made in a traditional stove-top pot.
I keep several kinds of tea, however.


-> hazel nut syrup

I'm clueless here. [g]  But this being New England, I always 
have a supply of maple syrup on hand.  And a small amount of
corn syrup for particular recipes that call for it.

-> cocoa
-> honey
-> salt

Ditto to all of these.  I have plain table salt, coarse kosher
salt, and sea salt (fine and coarse.)

-> aerosol oil pump for spritzing

I have never found one of these necessary, but they are very
popular.  Every one I've ever had has broken, so I gave up 
and I don't miss it.

-> a small extra virgin olive oil

I buy this in bulk.  I buy smaller amounts of the more flavorful
and expensive "fruitata" olive oil, which as pulp in it and is
quite excellent as a dip for bread, or on salads.

-> vinegars: regular white, rice, red wine, balsamic, tarragon, chile

Almost ditto.  White, rice, red and white wine, cider, balsamic, 
malt. I don't much like tarragon except in tarkhun, and chile vinegar 
has never appealed to me.

-> sugar bowl and salt shaker

Ditto.

-> veg oils: canola and peanut

I buy  plain, cheap "vegetable oil" at the bulk store for 3.99/gallon
and peanut oil at the Asian market for $5/gallon.  I also have a
vegetable oil/olive oil blend for everyday (I grew up using this,
so it is habitual. For ordinary frying, I like it better than plain
oil.)  Olive oils as noted above.  Lard. Shortening.

-> flours: pastry, AP unbleached white, whole wheat, rye, oat, rice,
-> potato and soy.

I don't bake a lot other than the basics (Jim is an experienced
bread maker) so all I have is cheap white flour.

-> plus: wheat germ, wheat bran, cornmeal, flax seed

Corn  meal in  white, yellow, and blue when I can find it.  Coarse
and fine.  Coarse is best for making  polenta, mush, and scrapple.

-> yeast

Ditto.

-> breakfast cereals and porridges, granola, buckwheat groats

Cold breakfast cereals, not many with sugar any more. Oatmeal.
Granola because Lynn eats it.  No other "porridges" because they
are vomitous masses.

-> bulk sugars: white, yellow, brown and icing

White, light brown, and dark brown sugar.  Icing sugar (called
10x Confectioner's sugar south of the Parallel.)  Maple sugar.
Honey in several different flavors and varieties, imported and
local.

-> baking supplies: raisins, craisins, currants, dates, prunes,
-> apricots, dried mango slices, shredded coconut.

I buy these at need and don't stock up.  I prefer fresh coconut
to shredded, but peel it, cut it in chunks, and eat  it as a 
snack, rarely in baking.  Shredded coconut is finely cut hair.
Ewww. [g]

-> vanilla, lemon extract, baking powder, baking soda, 
-> cream of tartar, molasses, corn starch, tapioca.

Ditto to  all of these, and in addition I have several dozen 
other flavoring  extracts we use in  confectionery.

-> Bird's custard powder, instant chocolate, and butter scotch pudding,
-> lemon pie filling, choco chips, baking chocolate, food colouring,
-> dragoons and sprinkles, miniature marshmallows

Ditto.

-> nuts: pecans, walnuts, filberts, almonds, cashews, peanuts

Ditto.  No pecans, though - they go rancid too quickly. I buy
these at need as well.

-> crackers: assorted
-> pastas: assorted, Italian and Asian, Raman noodles

Ditto.

-> rices: Jasmine medium grain and Basmati long grain

I have five or six varieties of rice.  We buy  them  for the
most part in bulk because it is our favorite starch.

-> potatoes and onions

Ditto.

-> ice cream cones

Not here; we eat ice cream from dishes.

-> popcorn

Always.  Not microwave, loose grains to pop in a kettle.

-> split peas, lentils and assorted beans

Ditto.  At least three or four kinds of lentils, with green
lentils du Puy our favorite.

-> wood chips for smoker
-> Asian shelf: dried shitakes, lily buds, cloud ear fungus, bean curd
-> skins

Ditto.

-> Mustards, BBQ sauces, hot sauces
-> HP sauce, L&P wooster sauce, A-1 sauce
-> Salad dressings, assorted pickles and olives
-> soy, fish, oyster and Hoisin sauces
-> anchovy paste or preserved shrimp paste
-> horseradish and wasabi

All this and more.

-> corn
-> mushrooms
-> tomatoes: juice, stewed, sauce, paste and pasta sauces
-> beans: baked and kidney at the least, usually more
-> jams, jellies and marmalades
-> tuna, sardines, kippers, corned beef

Ditto, except baked beans because I make my own.

-> 1 can ea Campbell's mushroom, tomato soup
-> Campbell's tetrapak chicken and beef broth
-> assorted soup bouillon cubes, powders.

I hate the taste of Campbell's chicken broth
and now I make all my own broths and stocks.  I do
keep  high-quality bouillons and powders, though.

-> fruit juices and sometimes pop
-> evaporated and powdered milk (emergencies only)
-> There's also a liquor and wine cabinet but I won't bore you with the
-> contents.
-> There's lots of other stuff there but they come and go according to
-> what I feel like eating, sales etc. Those are the basics I'm never
-> without. Some things not listed that others might consider essential
-> staples: grits, Jell-O, ketchup.

Jello is a staple.  The blue kind. [g]

---
Minutus cantorum, minutus balorum, 
minutus carborata descendum pantorum
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