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Condiments, spices, and other ingredients. What are your "GOTTA HAVE IT HANDY" go to choices?

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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This is kind of like the food thread but I was wondering what everyone's "go to" ingredients are? Not for every meal, but what you have at least one, maybe two, backups for just in case. I know there is stuff out there that I've never heard of. What do ya got?

McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning
Soy Sauce (low sodium)
Horseradish
Basil/Sage/Rosemary/Thyme
McCormick Bruschetta Seasoning (this one is relatively new, great on buttered bread, potatoes, pot roast)
 

Philpug

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Onions, very underated
Sesame oil
Basil and Oregano
Garlic cloves
Granulated garlic
crushed red pepper
 

RobSN

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Lotsa cumin
Thyme from the garden
Rosemary ditto
And naturally, garlic in abundance.
On that front, have any of y'all done the caramelized garlic from Modernist Cuisine? It is so amazing, and so simple - if you have a pressure cooker - that all should give it a whirl. Fill a canning jar with peeled garlic. Fill interstitial spaces with olive oil. Put canning lid on. Pressure cook for at least 120 mins at sea level (here at 5,000 ft I always do 145 min). Then do all sorts of good things with (a) the caramelized garlic and (b) the amazing garlicy olive oil. Refrigerate what you don't eat immediately (crackers, shrimp pasta, gravies, gosh - darned near everything).
 

Plai

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Salt: kosher
Garlic/onions fresh and powdered
Herbs:
Warm: cumin, cinnamon
Green: parsley, thyme, oregano
Peppers: paprika, black, white, Szechuan
Vanilla: real - in bourbon
Ginger root, red chili whole/flaked/crushed new Mexican/Thai/Chinese, anise, fennel seed, celery seed
Citrus
Sugars: white, raw, brown, powdered
Edit: gotta have good olive oil too
Edit 2: Forgot the Condiments
Heinz ketsup, real mayo, grey poupon mustard
Broth: beef and chicken
Oyster sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce regular and dark
Rice wine, red wine
Vinegars: apple cider, balsamic, rice/white

Yeah, I'm an expensive date.....
 
Last edited:

RobSN

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When baking bread or pizza, I'll usually throw in the oven some garlic to brown for later use.
It is similar although not quite the same, but of course the roasted garlic needs to be squeezed out. I do both - roasted with something roasted, caramelized for other times ...
 

Pat AKA mustski

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Basil/sage/rosemary/thyme/oregano
cumin
various chili powders
Absolutely useful in a variety of recipes. I also depend on:
lemons
limes
garlic
shallots
ginger root
olive oil
hot sesame oil
chili paste
soy sauce
wine - the only one I'm "specific" about is Marsala. In most cases, I use whatever is open.
 

François Pugh

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Fresh from the produce isle: onions (various kinds), shallots, leeks, garlic, ginger root, hot peppers (various kinds -love scotch bonnet).
Spice cupboard: Bay leaves, cloves, black pepper, chili pepper, cinnamon (don't bake apple pie anymore :( ).
Usually have a bottle of hot sauce of some sort on the go in the fridge, along with some soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.
 

Bad Bob

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In the last 12 years have had to remaster my bacholor cooking when out on projects (that was normally like 1/2 the year). These are the go tos I try to keep close.
Montreal Seasoning cut 50/50 with brown sugar use that on any red meat on the grill.
Dried pico degiao (sp) instant snap, great on fruit too.
Yoshida's Gourmet Sauce.
Crushed red pepper of course.
Onion or onion flakes if in a hurry.
Visa card.
 

P-Ute

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How about Smoked Paprika too?
Great as rub on grilled meat (along with the Montreal Steak Seasoning), grilled veggies, mac & cheese and potatoes of any kind.
 

Tricia

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Onions, very underated
Sesame oil
Basil and Oregano
Garlic cloves
Granulated garlic
crushed red pepper
What? No Old Bay?
 
Thread Starter
TS
Andy Mink

Andy Mink

Everyone loves spring skiing but not in January
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Plai

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No one else likes dill?

Herself managed an omelet with dill seed and turmeric yesterday; I made a dill-squash-onion potage but she could only have half a bowl of that.
Like dill here too. But, thought the key was "gotta have". Rosemary, tarragon, cloves, etc don't fall in the "gotta have" category for me.

Forgotten "gotta haves" :+1 bay leaves and chili sauces (Tabasco, Sambal and a number of Chinese ones)
 

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