Store Cupboard Essentials

I was going to do this in a couple of days time but I just received a gentle nudge in the right direction from Lisa saying how the hell was she supposed to go to Pick n Pay without her list, so Lisa hon, this one is for you.

I am a blog short as I didn't post one last night as I was just so tired from work, this mortgage business and general life, I was in bed by 9pm. That and the fact that Rory woke me up at 5:45 yesterday morning as he was off to Clarens for a working weekend. Good god I miss him. Seriously, I don't mind being on my own but I think it dawned on me today just how much of a difference he makes in my life. I mean we have spent a number of weekends apart in the past year and a bit but this time, I am really really missing him. Thankfully, he comes back tomorrow. Sad, but true. But what I have gleaned from his trip is that he cooked a full english breakfast with a huge fruit salad successfully for 13 people and he nearly landed up spooning one of his work colleagues in the twin bed next to him. Go baby!

Anyhow, how I digress (Lisa)! Your store cupboard essentials are those ingredients that you will not only use most frequently when cooking, but ingredients that will, when put together and you have 'nothing in the house' will make a more than sufficient meal. So, if you are going to be doing your monthly shop (and as it is pay day, I am sure most of you will be doing so this weekend) check out the list below, this should last you for 1-2 months and really is the most cost-effective way of filling your cupboard with ingredient essentials and ensuring you have dinner ingredients in the house to prepare at the drop of a hat should somebody swing past. Obviously your fruit and veg should be bought weekly and always should include:
Tomatoes
Onions
Garlic
Spinach
French Beans
Carrots
cucumbers
peppers (green and red)
coriander
Rosemary and / or thyme

Your dry produce looks as follows:
Salt
Pepper
Chicken / Vegetable stock
Curry powder
cumin
Tumeric
ground coriander
coriander seeds
Fish sauce
Soya Sauce
Chutney
Tomato sauce (if any cook has ever denied using this, they are lying)
Tobasco Sauce
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Brown sugar
Lentils (orange or green, buy Puy Lentils are the best, albeit the most expensive)
Tinned chick peas
tinned kidney beans in brine
tinned butter beans in brine
Tinned Tuna
Tinned Salmon
Tomato Paste
Tinned peeled plum tomatoes
Tinned chopped tomatoes
Olives
Brown Rice
Cous cous
Pasta (spaghetti and fusilli)

Voila! There are about 10 different dishes you could make with that list alone. I was thinking today, I have never cooked with cheese. I honestly can't abide the stuff (other than cottage cheese and occasionally goats cheese). So if anyone would like to let me know their favourite cheese recipes, please let me know.

Next...Jerusalem artichokes