Build your best pantry
Tips for eating well anytime + planning for the long game
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Welcome to today’s Stories from Catbird Cottage, AND to the last day of February! If you’ve been a subscriber for a while, you’ve seen in recent installments that I survived winter pretty well this year. I could not have done it without a well-stocked pantry. A great pantry brought me unexpected good eating, restorative evenings beside the fire, and all kinds of tasty sustenance, just when I needed it most. Yay to not always having to run out in frigid cold to the grocery store in order to create the week’s meals!
I grew up with a mother who always stocked a pantry to pull from for daily sustenance. As I became old enough to understand, it meant stability, and that we were well-fed for any occasion. She had jars of home-canned tomatoes, flours, dried fruits, brown sugar, molasses, nuts and seeds, dry beans and split peas, rice, and as reflection of our working class life, powdered milk and Crisco, among many other things.
Fast forward to today. An expansive, layered pantry brings me peace of mind, affords me the ability to make something interesting at a moment’s notice - as well as take advantage of staple ingredient savings by buying in bulk. These days, I can’t help but think ahead to the less secure times we may face, whether simply because our power goes out (which periodically happens, living in the country), or due to the growing uncertainty in our country, and around the world.
I know that isn’t rosy thinking, but it is prudent. Bringing it back to the food, a great pantry is a marvel unto itself and a thing I recommend we all invest in, if just to easily feed yourself and your family well.
By no means is the following list exhaustive, but in each category I’ve included foods I’ve grown to love that may be unfamiliar and as a result, spark interest for your own kitchen. Bookmark this post and return to it as you gather elements to build out your best pantry. If you want to know more about anything, or have a question, let me know in the comments - I’d love to help!
Oils + vinegars
These are essential building blocks in making so many dishes. I keep a variety of each in my pantry to achieve depth, different expressions of acidity or “brightness,” as well as whether I’m preparing something sweet versus savory.
a few kinds of extra virgin olive oil: fruitier and richer unfiltered options for finishing dishes, more budget-minded options when I’m batch-making vinaigrettes and sauces
toasted sesame oil for delectable recipes like this umeboshi sauce
cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, for both baking and skincare
grapeseed or peanut oil, when I want a neutral oil for (pan) frying
sherry vinegar is excellent for adding depth
ume plum vinegar imparts wonderful fruity acidity
apple cider vinegar for making fire cider, hair tonic, adding to stock, and vinaigrettes
distilled white vinegar for most of my pickle-making, plus it’s a powerhouse cleaning agent
white wine vinegar, my go-to for many vinaigrettes, plus floral infusions during summer
red wine vinegar, great for marinades and this escabeche
rice wine vinegar, a slightly sweet vinegar I use in various Asian dishes
Zippy Vietnamese-inspired beef salad
Sparkling triple citrus-celery salad
Nuts + Seeds
I incorporate nuts as crunchy toppings to all kinds of foods to bring a special feeling (and more texture) to simple and layered dishes. Nuts also serve as quick snacks and a means to add healthy fats to salads, grains, and breakfast foods. Consider sustainable growing practices and fair trade producers when you source nuts, as many countries rely on lax human rights conditions and the destruction of native ecosystems. For the longest shelf life, store nuts and seeds in jars in your fridge or freezer.
cashews, raw and roasted
hazelnuts
lightly salted sunflower seeds
sesame seeds, white and black
almonds, roasted whole and slivers
pine nuts
pepitas, tamari-roasted and raw
pecans
walnuts
pistachios, lightly salted
flax seeds/meal
tahini, peanut butter, almond butter
Legumes + Pulses
These are some of the most inexpensive, nutrient-dense, and small-footprint foods we can incorporate into daily eating. They are powerhouse staples all of us should be eating more of! Happily, there are many resources available online for buying heirloom beans these days, and the bulk sections at many grocery stores carry a wide variety. Some favorite beans and pulses include -
shorter cooking (30-35 minutes) - some of these cook down to form their own stew
French or Beluga lentils
Matpe beans
Dal, aka yellow (or red) split peasmid-length cooking (45 minutes-1 hour) - plump and creamy
Mayocoba beans
Yellow eye beans
Chickpeas
Calypso beans
Navy beanslonger cooking (1-2 hours) - often meatier textures
Scarlet runner beans
Royal Corona beans
Black beans
Domingo Rojo beans
Spices
This is an abbreviated “essentials” list I often pull from, for just us at home, as well as Catbird Cottage dinners and supper clubs. I prefer whole spices because they last longer and deliver more aroma and flavor once they are toasted and ground.
coriander seeds - get them from an Indian grocery or Burlap & Barrel to unlock their best magic.
black + pink peppercorns - I use black pepper in nearly everything I make. Pink peppercorns’ fruity magic is exciting. Use them sprinkled onto sweet and savory dishes alike.
cumin - In rubs, chili, dressings, and sauces, cumin plays an important role delivering a special earthy funk.
smoked paprika - for adding depth to soups, sauces, and other condiments.
red pepper flakes - A shower of these are almost always part of making a pot of beans, as well as stocks and tomatoey sauces.
cayenne pepper - A small sprinkle goes far added to all kinds of fare, from rubs, to cooking grains, to sweet dishes like cookies and chocolate desserts.
other chiles: chili powder, Aleppo chili flakes, gochugaru, or Espelette provide smoky or fruity nuance and differing kinds of heat.
whole nutmeg - this adds a lovely earthy spice to sweet and savory dishes, such as frittatas, béchamel, baked goods, and more.
juniper berries - these bracing, resinous seed cones are indispensable when I cure fish, slow cook cabbage, or season red meats.
mustard seeds - from pickling projects, to tempering in oil or ghee to make tadka, I reach for mild yellow and spicer brown mustard seeds regularly.
fennel seeds - for little bursts of anise brightness, add them to desserts, breads, sauerkraut, braises, and more.
sumac berries/powder - before lemons were imported to the US, Native Americans used the berries from the staghorn sumac plant to impart citric brightness. It is excellent added to dressings, sprinkled onto seafood, chicken, or lamb, and to make refreshing sumac-ade in summer.
Other handy spices to stock in your pantry: garlic, onion, and mustard powders, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, whole cloves, cardamom, and star anise, ground turmeric and ginger, whole dried chilies, bay leaves, saffron threads, garam masala, poppyseeds, caraway seeds… Let the flavor profiles, cuisines, and aromatics you already love shape your collection.
To support you in building your best pantry, I’ve teamed up with Burlap & Barrel: Score a free jar of coriander seeds or ground coriander with any purchase over $15! Just add which choice you prefer to your cart before checkout and use the code MELINA
Seared scallops + creamy saffron beans
Tinned Fish
This category is a catch-all for seafood and fish alike. While some anchovies are undoubtedly great from a tin, I usually choose this brand of jarred anchovies, which I add to vinaigrettes, sauces, braises, and more. Small fish and seafood are abundant, and they are low on the marine food pyramid. Due to their place within the ocean ecosystem, their shorter lifespans mean they’ll never accumulate the mercury or PCB toxicity associated with larger fish. Each of these considerations makes them an excellent and sustainable choice for healthy fats, flavor, and nutrients.
pole-caught tuna
sardines
mackerel
mussels
sprats
clams
scallops
anchovies, salt-packed, tinned, or jarred
Tonnato toasts with rainbow radishes
Dried Things
These elements often fortify dishes - whether steeped in water, sprinkled as garnishes, or in building sauces, they are often background elements that enhance flavor layers.
dehydrated shiitake and porcini mushrooms
nutritional yeast, bonito flakes, seaweed, coconut flakes, fried shallots
dried sour cherries, raisins, apricots, prunes, mulberries, crystallized ginger
hibiscus, rose petals, chamomile, mint, nettles, elderberry, mullein, yarrow
whole bean and/or ground coffee
whole grain pasta, soba, udon, and egg noodles, lasagna sheets, shells or other pasta shapes, vermicelli
cereals
Whether fueled by travel to exciting places, the discovery of new ingredients in your daily orbit, or simply realizing what your own pantry aspirations are, Remember: like everything, this is a process.
Polenta + shrimp with scallions + saffron aioli
Grains
These staple foods have a long shelf life and are easily found in the bulk aisle. Keep a variety of jars of grains on-hand, whether for soups and stews, rice salad, pilafs, muesli, and more.
brown, white, arborio, and sushi rice
farro and barley
quinoa
cornmeal, grits, and polenta
wild rice
couscous
rolled and steel-cut oats
rye and triticale flakes
Beets + bagna cauda with pistachios + farro
Flours
For breads, crackers, pies, cookies, and to enrich sauces, flour is essential. Store flour in the refrigerator or freezer to extend its shelf life.
all-purpose flour
spelt flour, an easy to work with subspecies of whole wheat
dark and light rye, both add a special earthiness and improve nutrient content
einkorn flour, an ancient heirloom wheat with superior flavor
pastry flour
OO flour, for making pasta
buckwheat flour, a gluten-free, earthy and subtly bitter favorite
Cheese toasts with mushrooms, miso + honey
Sweeteners
Another foundation staple, sweeteners add delight to everything from beverages to baked goods, pancakes to toast. Stock up on honeys and jams local to your region, and buy fair trade chocolate and sugars.
maple syrup
honey and honeycomb
jams, jellies, preserves
sorghum syrup
granulated sugar, brown sugar, coconut sugar, Demerara, confectioner’s sugar
molasses
date syrup
eating and baking chocolate, cocoa powder
Condiments
These support players make many dishes possible. Whether you find them in cans or jars - or have a process for home canning - they’re great to keep stocked and have at-the-ready for all kinds of unplanned needs.
whole grain and Dijon mustard
canned tomatoes
tomato sauce, paste, and passata
coconut milk and coconut cream
canned soups and beans for “no time” days or to fortify grain dishes, braises, and pasta
yuzu kosho, a spicy chili-yuzu ferment from Japan which adds verve
chili sauces and pastes, such as gochujang, Cholula, and sriracha
jarred salsa and chili crisp
fish sauce, perfect for dressings like this
soy sauce
marmite, an excellent vegan option for dishes that call for umami
Pickle Things
Want to entertain on short notice? Love to fortify your potato, egg, or tuna salad and make it memorable? From tapenade to cocktails, pickles (and their brine) transform simple to pow-pow. I love eating pickles straight from the jar - in addition to adding them to all kinds of foods - and keep a variety at-the-ready on my shelves.
olives
capers
cornichons
pickled chilis
homemade canned dill pickle spears
pickled carrots, okra, green beans
umeboshi plums
mango pickle
preserved lemons
Tomato-cucumber salad with fried capers
There are many layers here! Perhaps through reading this, you’ve landed on an ingredient (or multiple) that spark your excitement. Use them to fortify your pantry with new goodies. Keep in mind the basics, and expand on each category as broadly as you have bandwidth - or desire - for. And if it feels overwhelming, just think of this as a gentle invitation to take your own meander…
If something inspired you, ♥️ this post. :)
What’s one of your most treasured pantry staples? Is there a new addition you’re in love with? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!
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Thanks for this helpful post! Do you used canned / jarred beans or do you suggest soaking overnight (with baking soda?) instead?
Wow this is spectacular!