What's in the Pantry?
Cynthia Finnemore Simonds
Cynthia Finnemore Simonds
I've been hard at work on my latest cookbook and I'm baking desserts like a fiend. After writing down 157 recipes — some of which have been saved for later entries — I came to a fun realization: Having a well-stocked pantry allows you to whip up that birthday cake for a friend, cupcakes for your child's class, biscuits for supper or a special goodie tray for the bake sale — all without heading to the market for ingredients!
A well-stocked pantry makes cooking many baked goods a last-minute breeze. By keeping all ingredients at home, there's no need to dash out when the urge to bake something warm and sweet strikes.
The items on this list can be accumulated over time. Many of the ingredients have an extended shelf life. The perishables listed at the end are those that you probably have on hand in the 'fridge anyway. This list is helpful when you're getting started as a baker. Lots of the items can be found in the bulk section of your local health food store. Rising Tide is my favorite local shop in Damariscotta. They carry many different types of flour and sugar to suit whatever recipes I can think up.
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Baking uses many of the same items to create a myriad recipes. You can gather them over time to have the staples necessary to whip something up when you need it:
- Flour
- Pastry or cake flour
- Oats
- Wheat germ
- White sugar
- Brown sugar- light and dark
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Bakewell Cream- cream of tartar
- Sea Salt
- Cocoa powder
- Confectioners sugar
- Corn starch
- Buttermilk powder
- Egg white powder
- Espresso powder
- Dry milk
- Molasses
- Corn syrup
- Crisco or other vegetable shortening
- Peanut butter
- Vanilla
- Various pure extracts- lemon, anise…
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- Cardamom
- Nutmeg- whole and ground
- Mace
- Cloves
- Black pepper
- Chocolate- bits, bars and unsweetened squares- white and dark
- Dried fruit
- Seeds and nuts
- Vinegars
- Unflavored gelatine
- Vanilla bean
- Liqueurs
- Coffee beans
- Jams and jellies of assorted flavors
- Food coloring
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In the icebox:
- Milk
- Butter
- Eggs
- Cream
- Buttermilk
- Sour cream
- Cream cheese
- Fresh citrus fruit
- Pastor Chuck's applesauce and apple butter
Cynthia Finnemore Simonds has writte two cookbooks published by Down East and is at work on the third. Superb Maine Soups and Fresh Maine Salads are available on Down East.com.
Posted on Monday, November 3, 2008 in Permalink
