by Cesca Janece Waterfield
Old Mother Hubbard went to the cupboard, to give the poor dog a bone.
When she came there, the cupboard was bare, and so the poor dog had none.
The importance of a well-stocked cupboard hasn’t changed since the favorite nursery rhyme was originally published in 1805. Stocking and organizing your pantry are the first steps to creating a kitchen that produces impressive meals for entertaining, as well as simple and splendid suppers.
With the guide below, make a list of what your family uses, and what you need to pick up on your next visit to the supermarket. Generally it’s a good idea to have on hand a bottle each of good dry white wine and red wine to use for cooking, but of a quality that you would enjoy drinking. Since foods from the pantry provide the basis for every meal, additional items will differ depending on the type of cooking you do most often. Maybe you like to keep good black olives and capers on hand for your Mediterranean specialties. If you frequently whip up Mexican dishes, you’ll want to have on hand corn tortillas and masa de harina or ancho, poblano and chipotle peppers.
[To read this full article, go to our free electronic edition, UVW Digital]
