Grocery staples

[Richard Chrz]

So as I continue to gain a bit of knowledge I am finding I am cooking with some stuff that I never had purchased in the past, and now seem to want it around every day, regardless if I am going to cook with it or not, chances are, I might, and I like knowing I have the option. A few things that I keep around now are. Basil, Thyme, Parsley, Cilantro, limes, lemons, onions of all colors, peppers of various colors and heat, tomatoes, although, I find grocery store tomatoes are really bland, I also keep cans of San Marzanos around. What are your must haves for your kitchen?

[Murdy]

I am rarely without garlic; onions; Worcester sauce; several pepper sauces (tabasco, pickapeppa, Frank's, and such); several mustards; eggs (been doing a Keto diet); several cheeses (always parmesan); ground mustard and molasses (homemade bbq and marinades); tomato sauce and paste; Frank's Bavarian style sauerkraut!

[parkerj2]

I've taken to cooking mostly with the seasons, as far as to produce - so I grow herbs to match (currently rosemary, sage, and parsley. summer is basil, mint, cilantro, etc.) I'm with you on the tomatoes. I can't even buy them from the store anymore. Down south, our tomatoes are so dang good in the summer, they can't do it justice in the fall and winter. I find cooking with the seasons to be a very enjoyable endeavor.

I do keep lemons around for acid, sweet potatoes and Yukon golds for healthy carbs, and rice. Standard mirepoix (onions carrots celery). We also have good olive oil for finishing (NOT COOKING WITH!), a variety of vinegars (from some small-batch producers) to bring different types of acid to finished dishes, and a plethora of cooking fats (veg oil, duck fat, tallow, ghee, etc).

We hit the farmers market pretty often for the seasonal veg.

[parkerj2]

Richard Chrz do some research on them. Many olive oils are actually blends of olive oil and some cheaper oils to dilute them. Many grocery store brands are also super old. My favorite is Enzo's Table. They've got several.

[Attjack]

I still have thyme and rosemary outside right now.

[Richard Chrz]

Attjack, that would be nice! We have snow and in the teens.

[klflowers]

BBBR, memphis dust, Hank's rubs, Spice House Back of the Yard, Black Ops rub. Lee and Perrins, soy sauce, onions, garlic, salt, black pepper, various vinegars. And lots of meat

[Dewesq55]

I honestly find that I use canned tomatoes for pretty much every recipe that involves cooking the tomatoes. I buy from a couple of brands that I trust and they are amazingly consistent and good. I always have a large number of diced, crushed, whole plum and Rotel hot diced with chilis in my extended pantry in the basement. Also puree and paste. I have a very extensive spice cabinet, as well as a good stash of bulk packages in the basement. Some that I favor are cumin, corriander, chipotle powder, ancho powder, granulated onion and garlic, thyme, rosemary (I try to have both fresh and dried available most of the time), basil (i have a potted plant in the kitchen as well as rosemary and thyme). EVOO, canola oil, ghee, cider, red wine, white wine, balsamic, rice and sushi vinegars. I also often have sherry and champagne vinegars. Turmeric, extra hot ground red pepper powder from the Indian grocery. Whole dried chile peppers, including ancho, New Mexico, guajillo, passilla, chile de arbole, Japonnese and chipotle morita. I also have an extensive amount of all of the whole spices needed for South Asian masalas, including green cardomom (seeds and pods), black cardomom, nigella, black mustard seeds, fenugreek, ajawan, asafoetida (sp?). In the feezer I always have beef and chicken stock (homemade) and homemade recaita/Puerto Rican sofrita. I always have lots of Sazon Goya with culantro and achiote. Tarragon, sage In the fridge, several kinds of mustard, soy sauce, both kikkoman and Chinese thin and dark, Thai fish sauce, chili-garlic paste, sambal olek, worchestershire sauce, sesame oil. I also usually have a can or 2 of tahini paste. Dried chick peas, dried pigeon pease, 20 lbs of basmati rice. Packages of Vigo yellow rice (I know, I know!), yellow onions (mostly), carrots, eggs.

I'm sure there's a bunch of stuff I'm missing. Since I like, and regularly cook, Indian/Pakistani, Chinese, Thai, Jamaican/Carribean, Hispanic, Tex-Mex, Italian and "American" cuisines, I usually have staples for each of those in the house, particularly since I don't have much in the way of any of those ethnic markets very close to me.

[ofelles]

klflowers You have Nigella? Bring her back!

[DiverDriver]

Yuppers a slippery slope.... I have the can tomatoes always on hand. I have 3 styles of go to well stocked Asian, Italian, Indian.

[Richard Chrz]

@DriverDriver. What are the three types you keep and which are they for?

[klflowers]

Beer. How could I forget that?

[Nate]

You beat me to it!

[Mark V]

Wine, in stew. Buorgignone or however it is spelled .But wine is good in a lot of things.

[glitchy]

I was going to just say bourbon until I scrolled this far, doh

[JoeSousa]

I always like to have some lemons and garlic and maybe an onion or two around. Even though I am not a huge fan of garlic or onion by themselves. And my pantry is usually stocked with a few different kinds of canned beans and some canned tomatoes.

My fridge always has a lot of cheddar cheese in it. I buy the big 5 pound blocks of Tillamook from Costco. There is usually some pepper jack and sharp cheddar for making queso, and some brick cheese for pizza. And some bags of shredded cheddar for quick quesadillas for the kids or to sprinkle on some scrambled eggs.

[Attjack]

I always have garlic, ginger, shallots, onions, scallions, carrots, apples, peppers, eggs, nuts, cilantro, thyme, rosemary, and citrus on hand.

My pantry is also packed at all times. Here's what $20 gets me at the small local Asian Market nearby.


Fortunately, I also have a grocery store 3 blocks away and two others within walking distance.

[Attjack]

I guess sometimes I'll wash an entire bunch of cilantro or something like that. But, no, I just prep vegetables before cooking with them. Occasionally I meal plan for days or a week ahead but often I decide what I'm cooking on the fly. I'll go to the store and either see a fresh-looking veggie or a good looking protein and then base the rest of the meal around that item.

[DiverDriver]

Baby octopus, shrimp, ginger, chicken feet, Oyster sauce, fish sauce, garlic pepper paste, shoyu, molasses, miso, rice vinegar, sesame and peanut oil homemade sesame asian pepper oil, homemade kimchi pretty much round out my Asian pantry selections..... yes I do Asian fusion a couple times a week.

[Richard Chrz]

@DriverDriver. I need to source octopus. I feel a stop at our local Hmong / Asian grocery store coming soon.

[Skip]

I agree with most of the Spices and Vegetables already mentioned so I'm gonna add the freezer stuff. I like to keep Tri Tip, Hamburger, Pork Loin and Tenderloin, Bacon, Homemade Sausage, Chicken Breasts, Pulled Beef and Pork, Salmon and a few other Fish choices.

[Richard Chrz]

Skip. Thank you. My freezers and refrigerators are going to be reorganized next. I told my wife another chest freezer is likely in our future. I am learning that I want to prep a lot of food during season (like all day cook red sauces in the winter not the summer) stocks, etc and have our freezers organized enough that I essentially could keep a spread sheet of what is on hand in there, and easily find it.

[Richard Chrz]

I also may see the value in another refrigerator in our garage, If I continue to take on bread, which I believe I will. I will need to buy it in much larger amounts and keep the bags in the refrigerator with just 6 qt containers in my pantry of each. And I am considering milling now, so...

[texastweeter]

beef, tallow, salt, pepper, Coffee, bourbon, scotch

[texastweeter]

oh, and hotsauces

[Oak Smoke]

Besides the herbs and spices that have been mentioned there's always a squeeze bottle with Hatch green chili enchilada sauce in the fridge. It adds great flavor to soups,stews, beans,eggs... or as a condiment just like ketchup. Of course there's always an assortment of wines, rum, and scotch.

[Andrrr]

There are quite a few staples already mentioned above but since I started experimenting with different homemade rubs and seasonings my sugar and spice usage has gone through the roof.

[FireMan]

Peanut butter. 🕶

[Richard Chrz]

HA!

[Huskee]

Butter, heavy whipping cream, good coffee, lemons, white & brown sugar, salt & pepper, garlic, Frank's, Duke's mayo, peanut butter, bourbon and rye.

I've gone to the store to get toilet paper (I live about 2 mi from a Rite Aid for those last-minute essentials) and brought home one or more of the above and forgot the toilet paper.

[JCGrill]

About 6 vinegars, 4 mustards, 5 hot sauces, mirin, fish sauce, soy sauce, hoisin, worcestershire, always a couple of dry pastas, and at least one jar of pasta sauce. Canned tomatoes, both whole and diced, tomato sauce, tomato paste, canned chilis, coconut milk, coconut cream, frozen mixed vegetables, at least 4 kinds of shredded cheese. Potatoes, onions, and garlic. Celery and carrots. Breadcrumbs. Sesame oil, olive oil, vegetable oil. 4 kinds of stock. 3 kinds of rice. Butter and eggs. Don't get me started on spices and dried herbs, far too long a list.

Generally fresh produce and herbs I buy as needed, because I don't have a lot of luck keeping them from spoiling. Even celery is a problem that way, but I keep it on hand anyway.