Organising your pantry

It took me a long time when I started cooking to realise the importance of a well stocked and organised pantry. I would often read recipes and need to buy every ingredient in the list as I had very few staple items on hand. I have long since rectified this problem and it has made a huge difference to how quickly I can pull a recipe together.

No one can make dinner out of nothing but if you always have the basic ingredients it will make life a lot easier. You will probably only need to pick up fresh meat, vegetables or dairy and you will have a meal on the table. I do not have a massive kitchen (far from it!) but I have maximised storage space. I thought I would take you through the things I always have to hand that have really made a difference to my preparedness to cook.

A view inside one of my roll-top cupboards. I have found these invaluable for creating lots of storage space.

I think the secret to organising your pantry is lots of containers that are well labelled. As these are all kept hidden most of the time these containers do not need to match. I like to decant quite a lot of products into airtight tubs and canisters as they last longer, it keeps them tidy and they are easier to find. Review the contents every 6 months at least and replace items past their date or that are running low. Some things, like flour and caster sugar, need replenishing more often in my house as I bake a lot!

You can buy canisters already labelled for specific items but it is just as easy to buy airtight plastic containers or Kilner jars and some sticky labels to make your own (these red oval labels are from the Martha Stewart range at Staples).

The lower shelf is for herbs and spices mainly

What herbs and spices you need depends on what you like to cook. I always have dried thyme, oregano and rosemary as I think they are just about the only three herbs that are any good dried. I have an Italian herb seasoning mix which is great in pasta, dried red chili flakes, saffron and pine nuts. I like smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and then you have your Indian spices such as cumin and turmeric. Cinnamon is invaluable as well. I have some Old Bay seasoning which is great in crab cakes and on fish and I can't live without Tabasco sauce too! Also on this shelf I keep general kitchen stationery and chef's candles which are great to burn to get rid of cooking smells. The little brown lidded pots are herb pots from Fortnum and Mason which I just had to have!

These vintage T G Green Cornishware pots were a present and I love them. The Bi Carb one is quite rare.

The next shelf has baking supplies on it. I am addicted to P-Touch (the labelling system) as you can see from the labels on the sides of the shelves. Not necessary I know but it does help to keep everything in its place!

Here I keep flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cream or tartare, ground almonds, cocoa powder and various sugars. I almost always bake with homemade vanilla caster sugar. I simply dry out all the vanilla pods I use when cooking and bury them in a big jar of white caster sugar that I keep topping up. It really brings a fragrant edge to all my baking.

I love real vanilla extract (only buy the best because there is no substitute) and I always use a non-stick baking spray to avoid lining cake tins etc. It works brilliantly and is so quick and easy. I also keep some slimline digital scales here too and some very good quality dark chocolate and white chocolate chips for brownies and other chocolate recipes.

In an old tea caddy I keep my pastry brushes, cake testers and palette knives.

With these ingredients and eggs and butter you can always make a cake. I am now a total convert from butter to Stork for baking - it makes the most amazingly light and fluffy cakes in comparison to butter. Try it and see!
 

Storecupboard ingredients on the next shelf are largely kept in Kilner jars. These last for ages.

Stock up on pulses and grains that you like to use a lot. Here I have different types of lentils and pastas including the tiny pasta shapes for soup. I love creamy polenta and there is also long grain rice and risotto rice here too. Couscous and bulgar wheat are firm favourites in our house as well. I keep a variety of seasonings here too including different types of salt and peppercorns. I like to cook with Maldon sea salt or kosher salt out of preference. If you can track down this black truffle salt it is divine on a softly poached egg.

With these ingredients I can make risotto, pasta dishes or a range of salads and soups quite easily.

 



The top shelf is for a miscellany of other items!

Panko breadcrumbs are a must for coating chicken or fish. You can get them in any oriental food shop. A good chicken or vegetable stock is probably all you need (I seldom make my own fresh stock) but I also have beef, lamb, fish and porcini stocks here. Amaretti biscuits I always have on hand so I can make my chocolate and amaretti cake when required. It is one my favourite desserts, keeps for days and is utterly foolproof.

I have used a range of different pots here, all clearly labelled.

So for me it's all about developing a system and sticking to it. I have got into this habit over the last 6 years or so and I know that if I open the cupboard all of those things will be there. Managing your freezer and other staple ingredients just as carefully means you can always make dinner even when it would seem there is little left in the fridge. Now that can't be a bad thing at the end of a busy day!