Our Paleo Kitchen Pantry
Our Paleo Kitchen Pantry Essentials
Our Paleo kitchen pantry is stocked with variety of spices, herbs and condiments. We know that every recipe has a more finished flavor if we use the right spices. Since we are not trained chefs. So, we rely on a couple of excellent reference books to guide our spice choices. We also rely on the suggestions of Cooks Illustrated, Julia Child, and the folks whose recipes we truly love to cook.
Herbs & Spices – Fresh
Fresh herbs take recipes to a higher level. That’s great news! The bad news is that they can be expensive. Fresh herbs do not last long in the refrigerator. Even with care it is hard to make them last. The fresh herbs we use most are cilantro, parsley, thyme, rosemary, basil, tarragon, sage and mint.
Herbs & Spices – Dried
Being able to find the right spice at the right time is essential. Dried spices make this easier. We can’t have the entire grocery store spice shelf at home. But, there are a number of spices that we try to have on hand all the time.
- Allspice
- Anise
- Basil, sweet
- Basil, Thai
- Bay leaf
- Fenugreek
- Caraway seed
- Cardamom
- Cayenne pepper
- Celery seed
- Chervil
- Chili pepper
- Chile Powder
- Chinese Five Spices
- Chives
- Cilantro
- Cinnamon
- Clove
- Coriander seed
- Coriander, ground
- Cumin
- Curry
- Dill herb or weed
- Dill seed
- Fennel seed
- Fenugreek
- Filé powder, gumbo filé
- Garam Masala
- Garlic
- Ginger
- Herbes de Provence
- Kaffir lime leaves
- Lemongrass
- Mace
- Marjoram
- Mint
- Mustard
- Nutmeg
- Old Bay
- Paprika, smoked
- Parsley
- Pepper, ground, black and white
- Peppercorns, black, white, and green
- Rosemary
- Saffron
- Sage
- Savory
- Star anise
- Sumac
- Szechuan pepper, Sichuan pepper
- Tarragon
- Thyme
- Thyme, lemon
- Turmeric
- Vanilla
- Wasabi
Fats & Oils
Fats and oils are the subject of much discussion by nutritionists. We use plant and animal fats as opposed to industrial seed oils.
- Coconut Oil & Ghee
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Palm Oil
- Avocado Oil
- Animal Fats, Lard & Tallow
- Butter & Ghee
- Duck Fat
Vinegars
Vinegars run the spectrum of flavor enhancement and acidity. Where there is oil or fat, there must be vinegar, preferably organic.
- Red & White Balsamic
- Red & White Wine
- Apple Cider
- White Champagne
- Coconut
- Distilled White
- Rice
Condiments
There are numerous pre-made condiments and sauces we reach for when we need a flourish of bold flavor for our cooking.
- Red Boat Fish Sauce
- Coconut Aminos
- Dijon, Brown & Yellow Mustard
- No Sugar Added Ketchup
- Tabaso sauces
- Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
- Cholula Hot Sauce