In my cupboard…

It’s quite a popular feature of various newspapers, journals and magazines to ask what people always have in their larder/fridge cupboard. With some of the interviewees/celebrities, you get the feeling they are not being totally honest but are listing things they think will say something about them or impress… for example…

• extra virgin organic raw cold pressed coconut oil 
•  traditional 25-year-old certified DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta)  aceto balsamico tradizionale extra vecchio – Balsamic vinegar
• whole duck foie gras with black truffle, white port and Armagnac
• Tahi manuka honey
• smoked Himalayan salt

… you get the idea

I was thinking about this when I came across another blog where someone listed her ‘7 “Real Food” Freezer Essentials’ , well when I looked at her list, I couldn’t help but feel she and I are light years apart in what we think of as essentials. It was very interesting to read, and to compare to my freezer essentials  –

1. frozen organic berries for making smoothies or berry sauce
2. whole-grain flours like whole-wheat & masa harina and whole-wheat breadcrumbs
3. pre-made stored dishes like soups, sauces, stocks, raviolis, smoothie pops and other leftovers
4. pre-made baked goods like pancakes, waffles and muffins
5. extra whole-grain breads and tortillas
6. locally & humanely raised meats and seafood
7. frozen organic vegetables

We do sometimes have frozen berries (not organic, sorry) but we eat them as berries – on cereal, as a dessert, as a snack, and we do have varieties of flour (why would we need breadcrumbs? We can make it from bread!) yes we do have soups, stock and sauces and left overs in our fridge and freezer but I’m not exactly sure what a smoothie pop is – I guess it is a frozen lolly made from a smoothie. We rarely eat pancakes, and almost never waffles and muffins.

She then listed her pantry essentials, which is very much what most people would have, then fridge essentials – I guess everyone is different, and there were quite a few things I wouldn’t keep in the fridge (cheese, eggs, peanut butter), or wouldn’t have as an essential (olives and pickles).

To read her interesting article and list, here is a link:

https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/real-food-tips-21-essentials-for-freezer-pantry-fridge/

So what ten things do I genuinely always have in my fridge/cupboard

1. Marmite
2. butter
3. loose tea
4. Cheddar cheese
5. mayonnaise
6. eggs
7. nuts
8. olive oil
9. Worcestershire sauce
10. English mustard

There are plenty of other things of course, pasta, rice, tinned tomatoes (and fresh vegetables too, of course) coffee, milk etc, plus bread/crackers/crispbreads… I guess after I’ve posted this I’ll be thinking about my list and altering it!