What's in the Pantry?

Out with the old, in with the easy.

Quick Tip: A little over a year ago I did a piece on stocking a kitchen for making generic Asian food. I raved about the benefits of having a stocked kitchen- after making a solid one time investment you have at your fingertips dozens upon dozens of potential dishes simply by adding a touch of fresh produce or a little meat. I recommended the top 30 or so ingredients one should buy to be able to make a variety of stir fries, curries, and noodle dishes.

In a similar vein, Mark Bittman (discussed on a previous entry) has a New Year's column on making room in the kitchen for the things that really matter but tossing out a few things that don't. The article is full of great suggestions and functions more or less as a shopping list for those of us that want to cook, but always seem to have a kitchen full of nothing. I disagree with a few things: bottled lemon juice & chicken stock are so much easier, but that's just Faux Gourmet for you. But nevermind me. Read for yourself and see if you aren't inspired.