Words on the larder

Basic store cupboard

Although my larder looks like a spoilt child’s toy box you really do not need a bulging store cupboard.  I have tiny bottles of truffle oil, Japanese hot pepper, shrimp paste, tamarind, black rice, jars of embalmed anchovies, five types of dried chilli, six types of vinegar and so on (and on).   You see, whenever someone asks me what I would like for my birthday or Christmas I always answer food or kitchen equipment (mainly knives) but then I am obsessed.  Horribly so.  I sincerely hope you are not as bad as me or if you are that you have a far speedier metabolism.

Extra virgin olive oil

Bog standard olive oil

Groundnut oil (or vegetable oil if you are allergic in which case I hardly need to tell you do I?)

Balsamic vinegar (the cheap stuff is just fine – we will be cooking with it)

White wine vinegar

Soy sauce

Fish sauce

Ketchup

Mayonnaise

Tabasco

Worcestershire sauce

Chicken and beef stock cubes as well as some marigold stock powder (I am assuming you do not want to fill up your single person’s freezer with stock although good for you if you do)

Black pepper (lots and in a grinder)

Malden sea salt

Pouring sea salt (I suggest you ask for a couple of salt pigs for your birthday.  Sorry, I can’t help myself)

Caster sugar

Uncle Ben’s long grain rice (I know it is expensive but it really is the best.  However  I suggest you do not buy the boil in the bag variety – it pushes the price even higher)

Risotto rice  

Pasta – I currently have spaghetti, fusilli and conchiglie in my larder

Tinned chopped tomatoes

Tomato puree

Black olives (the shriveled type not the one packed in brine which are curiously plastic and quite vile)

Cashews, pecans, pine nuts

Tinned or bottled anchovies

Capers (you hate them right?  Tough – buy them anyway. Along with the anchovies.)

Anchovies (see above)

Bay leaves

Dried oregano

Cayenne

Ground cumin

Ground coriander

Chilli powder

Ground cinnamon

Paprika (smoked and sweet)

Nutmeg (the whole variety. You can grate it on your cheese grater.  No need to invest in a fancy doodad)

Plain flour

Smooth Dijon mustard

Runny honey

In the fridge I always have

Unsalted butter

A strong cheddar

Eggs

A small pot of cream (single or double)

Carrots

Celery

Smoked streaky bacon

Chillies

Lemons and limes

As well as copious quantities of strong white onions and garlic and a large ziplock bag of homemade breadcrumbs in the freezer (Just blitz up a stale white loaf in the food processor or buy some panko breadcrumbs). Oh, and some white pittas (they freeze well)

I grow basil, coriander, dill, flat leaf parsley and thyme in window boxes.  I also have a little bay tree by the front door. However, I quite understand that you may not even have a window ledge (a lot of the modern buildings going up around me don’t seem to have them) in which case then you are going to have to buy your fresh herbs as and when.  In my experience only basil works as an indoor plant.  

That should do it for the time being