A Cook's Library

Here is a basic list of perishable and non-perishable staple foodstuffs that, if you keep them to hand, will always mean you can cook something delicious from scratch. Bear in mind that whilst some (but by no means all) of these dry goods will be imported, the fresh food should always be availably locally, making this a truly green pantry.

For where to buy many of these staples look at my Where to Buy Good Food page and for advice on shopping lists and how to plan a weekly menu click here.

PANTRY STAPLES

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (Try a variety for taste until you find one you like; I use reasonable quality for all cooking too.)

Red and White Wine Vinegar

Salt (A local mineral salt is essential, either Maldon Salt or Cornish Sea Salt)

Peppercorns

Spices and Chillies (according to personal preference)

Pasta – good quality white and farro/wholemeal ribbons too

Grains: Farro, Spelt, Barley, Oats, both groats and rolled for porridge.

Rice: Risotto and Wild are my staples. Italian black rice I also like very much.

Dried Beans and Lentils: chickpeas and haricot are most useful beans, French Puy lentils or small, green Umbrian.

Flour: White Strong for bread-making in combination with wholemeal, spelt or rye. Plain for cakes/biscuits, wholemeal/spelt for tart cases.

Tins of tomatoes, tomato puree, passata: Buy best quality for winter use; likely to be Italian unless you can your own.

Salted Anchovies (I’ve listed these with store cupboard items because they keep for months but keep them in the fridge, tinned anchovies an alternative).

Capers and good Olives

Wine (for cooking and drinking, or rather for drinking then cooking with leftovers)

Honey (raw and unprocessed if you can get it)

Baking goods: If you bake regularly keep unrefined sugars or better still, rapadura sugar, fine flour, vanilla essence, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in stock.

PERISHABLE STAPLES

Milk (well-sourced raw if you can get it, otherwise organic, whole and preferably not homogenised)

Cream (similarly unpasteurised has a better flavour and performance in the kitchen)

Cheese (particularly Parmesan as a fridge essential)

Eggs

Chicken Stock (always have some in the freezer)

Butter (also freezes well)

Garlic

Bread

Lemons

Onions/Shallots

Carrots

Celery/Fennel

Fresh herbs and salad leaves: growing in your garden/window box is best but, and this is a last note about making this a healthy kitchen, buy fruit, vegetables, leaves, roots, shoots regulalry and ALWAYS keep them in your pantry/fridge. The more you have around the more you will eat. And above all else eating plants keeps you fit and well.