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

[zircon]

Dry things:

• Dried thyme
• Turkish oregano
• Mexican oregano
• Cracked rosemary
• Bay leaves
• Fresh garlic
• Cumin seeds
• Coriander seeds
• Star anise
• Cinnamon (whole)
• Black pepper
• Ancho chile powder
• Chiles de arbol
• Hungarian sharp paprika
• Spanish smoked paprika
• Old bay
• S&B curry powder
• King Arthur AP flour
• Saf instant yeast

Wet things:

• Good olive oil
• Sesame oil
• Maple syrup
• Tahini
• Dijon mustard
• German mustard—lowensenf extra scharf
• Thai black (sweet) soy sauce
• Golden mountain sauce
• Kikkoman shoyu (the big red jug)
• Rice vinegar
• Cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Gochujang
• Sambal oelek
• Cholula hot sauce
• A bottle of dry chardonnay

...I feel like a very high maintenance cook next to some people on here There are many other ingredients I use often but I would probably die without these.

 

[Phelmut]

Well I'm a crappy cook and I'm also lazy and have no patience so my spices would be seasoned salt, Adobbo, and onion powder. And i sprinkle some good parmesan and Costco salsa on top of a lot of my food.

 

[Crank]

Well I'm a crappy cook and I'm also lazy and have no patience so my spices would be seasoned salt, Adobbo, and onion powder. And i sprinkle some good parmesan and Costco salsa on top of a lot of my food.

Costco salsa is really good. We always have some in the house.

 

[Carolinacub]

 

[mdf]

I have been corrected - we DO have an entire pork loin in the freezer. While we both have hearty appetites, eating all of that before it goes bad would be a challenge. My partner suggested we could slice off some for boneless pork chops later.

So how does that work? Saw it off while still frozen? Thaw the whole thing and cook some right away and some five days later?

 

[mdf]

I've started crushing my dried spices with a mortar & pestle. Not only do you get more flavor, you also avoid those never-quite-softened bits that get caught in your teeth.

I started because I took my ground marjoram to Utah and back and then Taos and back and left it in Jackson Hole. All I could find to replace it was the coarse-chopped dried stuff.

 

[Monique]

So how does that work? Saw it off while still frozen? Thaw the whole thing and cook some right away and some five days later?

That is indeed the problem. I think thaw it to the minimum required point for cutting, and cut part off for a loin, then cut the rest into chops to refreeze. Cutting meat when it's still somewhat frozen is easier, anyway.

 

[Carolinacub]

I've gotta say that one of the best gifts that we have ever received has been a vacuum sealer. That suck and seal has been a life saver.

 

[cantunamunch]

That is indeed the problem. I think thaw it to the minimum required point for cutting, and cut part off for a loin, then cut the rest into chops to refreeze. Cutting meat when it's still somewhat frozen is easier, anyway.

If this thread follows Pugski tradition, we will have gone from spices to ...band saws?

 

[Tony S]

Mods!

View attachment 100494

 

[VickieH]

Mods!

It fits under "other ingredients"

 

[Tony S]

So. Pepper mills. Spare me from anything where I have to stand there and risk carpal tunnel syndrome spinning the thing for 45 seconds before it emits a meaningful amount of pepper. This leads me to my beloved Unicorn mill.

 

[Tony S]

I basically use three kinds of salt: Morton kosher for things like salting pasta water. Celtic sea salt for general salting while cooking (mostly because this is what the S.O. buys). Malden for last-minute topping.

 

[RobSN]

It fits under "other ingredients"

Only if you define the word "ingredient" in the loosest possible manner … [couldn't find an emoji to indicate insufferable snobbishness, but assume one for Miracle Whip purposes ]

 

[Tony S]

Only if you define the word "ingredient" in the loosest possible manner … [couldn't find an emoji to indicate insufferable snobbishness, but assume one for Miracle Whip purposes ]

Yeah, I have no trouble admitting to elitism on this one.

 

[Carolinacub]

I'm hurt...Miracle Whip is an essential ingredient for many great meals.
Peanut butter and Miracle Whip sandwiches on white bread.
Grilled cheese with Miracle Whip and tomatoes.
Miracle Whip coated chicken, breaded and baked
Miracle Whip coated fish, breaded and baked
and of course the famous Miracle Whip coated knife lick

 

[Philpug]

I'm hurt...Miracle Whip is an essential ingredient for many great meals.
Peanut butter and Miracle Whip sandwiches on white bread.
Grilled cheese with Miracle Whip and tomatoes.
Miracle Whip coated chicken, breaded and baked
Miracle Whip coated fish, breaded and baked
and of course the famous Miracle Whip coated knife lick

One more post like that and you posting privileges will be removed.

 

[bbinder]

What if you could only have 5 things? That should challenge folks.
My picks:

Kosher salt
Black peppercorns
Cumin
Garlic
Lemons

I feel that I could make a variety of meals using these in various combinations.

 

[zircon]

What if you could only have 5 things?

Unthinkable!

 

[Carolinacub]

One more post like that and you posting privileges will be removed.

man that's cold...talk about abuse of power