I like how you have the gallon of soy sauce on the shopping list.
(I have a gallon of Worcestershire sauce)
I tend to use Tamari instead of soy sauce, and depending, ponzu (depends on the dish).
This is a great core list. I had to stop eating pasta recently (and be scant on onions, garlic, etc), and my core grain is rice - switching more to the rice/tofu mix. But it's good for people to know one should have a certain variety of grains/baking goods/other pantry items that one has a wide variety of things to choose from. And it's pretty cheap once you look at it from how many meals/snacks you can get out of a core set of ingredients.
I enjoy your farming and cooking posts, especially references to family cooking together. My mom's family came from Naples and I also didn't learn the sauces and such until leaving home. Love your countertop rooster!
I can confirm that having a decently stocked pantry is key and not super expensive. Did it when i was single; after getting married SWMBO and I expanded it to accommodate our tastes.
YES. There's nothing scary about yeast! But one of my favorite items to work with is a little thermometer with a metal pin on the end that can tell you the temp of any liquid or solid you poke it into, and that helps. I'll put that on next week's lesson!
I suggest getting instant yeast. It's not the same as the Fleischmann's. Doesn't have to be "bloomed." I use Saf Instant Red for non-enriched doughs, Saf Instant Gold for enriched doughs like brioche, babka, tsoureki, and so on.
I have to credit King Arthur Flour for teaching me about this.
I make pancakes from scratch. The only mix I've ever liked is the King Arthur Flour mix (I'm not a Bisquick person!), and it works okay, but there's really not that much time or energy difference in making pancakes from mix or scratch -- and they're less work than you think. I have a mental block about somethings that I cook, thinking they're so much harder than they are.
BUT, that said, KAF makes a great, reliable, consistent pancake mix and it's a just-add-water situation. You do have to actually wait the five minutes for it to rise.
Waffles are a different story. The more complicated the waffle, the better I think it is. I hate sourdough BREAD, but keep a sourdough starter for the discard to make discard waffles.
I like how you have the gallon of soy sauce on the shopping list.
(I have a gallon of Worcestershire sauce)
I tend to use Tamari instead of soy sauce, and depending, ponzu (depends on the dish).
This is a great core list. I had to stop eating pasta recently (and be scant on onions, garlic, etc), and my core grain is rice - switching more to the rice/tofu mix. But it's good for people to know one should have a certain variety of grains/baking goods/other pantry items that one has a wide variety of things to choose from. And it's pretty cheap once you look at it from how many meals/snacks you can get out of a core set of ingredients.
James is Japanese so we use a ton of soy sauce (and we do buy it by the gallon because the little pots are kinda useless).
I use the smaller bottles to pour the gallon into for dispensing on the table (I've got funnels!)
I’ve added dark soy to my pantry. Now my Lo mein tastes like the stuff from my local joint…
Thanks for sharing Emily!
I enjoy your farming and cooking posts, especially references to family cooking together. My mom's family came from Naples and I also didn't learn the sauces and such until leaving home. Love your countertop rooster!
I can confirm that having a decently stocked pantry is key and not super expensive. Did it when i was single; after getting married SWMBO and I expanded it to accommodate our tastes.
This is great thanks. Just about to start a kitchen reorg so I am REALLY looking forward to the pots and pans edition tomorrow.
At some point, can you do a post about why working with yeast isn't as intimidating or scary as I think it is? XD
Great pantry list! This would be a good post to share with young adults getting ready to leave for college or their first apartments.
YES. There's nothing scary about yeast! But one of my favorite items to work with is a little thermometer with a metal pin on the end that can tell you the temp of any liquid or solid you poke it into, and that helps. I'll put that on next week's lesson!
I suggest getting instant yeast. It's not the same as the Fleischmann's. Doesn't have to be "bloomed." I use Saf Instant Red for non-enriched doughs, Saf Instant Gold for enriched doughs like brioche, babka, tsoureki, and so on.
I have to credit King Arthur Flour for teaching me about this.
The pantry list is brilliant! I see the wisdom in it. Question: Especially as you have kids do you keep pancake mix too or make your own? Thoughts?
I make pancakes from scratch. The only mix I've ever liked is the King Arthur Flour mix (I'm not a Bisquick person!), and it works okay, but there's really not that much time or energy difference in making pancakes from mix or scratch -- and they're less work than you think. I have a mental block about somethings that I cook, thinking they're so much harder than they are.
BUT, that said, KAF makes a great, reliable, consistent pancake mix and it's a just-add-water situation. You do have to actually wait the five minutes for it to rise.
Waffles are a different story. The more complicated the waffle, the better I think it is. I hate sourdough BREAD, but keep a sourdough starter for the discard to make discard waffles.