Table Of ContentCopyright © 2014 by Domaine Enterprises, LLC
Photographs copyright © 2014 by Sara Remington All rights reserved.
Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter/Publishers, an imprint of the Crown Publishing
Group, a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company, New York.
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Zakarian, Geoffrey.
My perfect pantry / Geoffrey Zakarian ; with Amy Stevenson and Margaret
Zakarian ; photographs by Sara Remington.—First edition.
pages cm
Includes index.
1. Cooking. I. Stevenson, Amy. II. Zakarian, Margaret. III. Title.
TX714.Z352 2014
641.5—dc 3
2013050636
ISBN 978-0-3853-4566-8
eBook ISBN 978-0-38534567-5
Book design by Jan Derevjanik
Cover photograph and author photograph: Ben Fink
v3.1
CONTENTS
A NOTE TO THE HOME COOK
FOUNDATION ITEMS
50 ESSENTIAL PANTRY INGREDIENTS AND RECIPES
A WORD OF THANKS
INDEX
A NOTE TO THE HOME COOK
The pantry is the backbone of a kitchen—the place on which every meal hinges. Serving as the tireless
workhorse that supports the creation of all dishes and the unsung hero that allows fresh seasonal
ingredients to sing, the pantry has a very specific character, size, and even scent in each and every
home. No two are alike. But no matter, each pantry is the starting block for any meal. And all
starting blocks need a solid foundation.
The landscape of American food is fascinating. I take great national pride in dishes that define our
country, such as the hamburger, and am intrigued by regional dishes, such as the chicken wing, that
have won coast-to-coast followings. And perhaps most exciting are the dishes that stem from the awe-
inspiring weaving of worldwide heritage, blending together into the fabric of American cuisine.
I can remember, as a small boy, peering up into our few pantry shelves in our tiny kitchen in
Worcester, Massachusetts. Desperately, I wanted to glimpse the stashed treats up on the tippy top—
the out-of-reach hiding spot where my mother kept her homemade goodies. Perfectly lined up on the
lower, attainable shelf were the flour, nuts, dried beans, extracts, spices—more mundane items that, at
that time, served me no purpose. I had little idea how these could be used to make wondrous
combinations. When I was an older, craftier toddler, I climbed up on the countertop, plotting to reach
the outer limits, and the aroma when I opened those magnetic-closing doors seemed to seep into my
DNA. I couldn’t reach the top, but that smell drew me in and has never left me. I was hit with a
beautifully scented mixture of what would in essence become my family’s daily bread. As I grew and
could eventually reach the top, I became more interested in what was on the bottom, mesmerized by
how it all melded together in dozens of different ways, so uniquely fruitful each time. I studied the
humble habits of my mom and my aunts, who never wasted food and always cooked from scratch.
In my professional career and within my kitchen duties for my family at home, I find that having a
well-stocked, well-cared-for pantry makes all the difference in the end result. I have a saying: “I would
rather be looking at it than looking for it.” I learned this lesson the hard way when I was starting out
as a young cook, during a dinner rush with orders flying at me. I simply did not have the crucial
items I needed on hand, and from then on, I have always been prepared. You need to have the right
ingredients ready to go, so you don’t leave yourself scrambling at the last minute. And you don’t need
a large pantry to have success in the kitchen. When I was growing up, my family had a very small
space, and those home-cooked meals in our kitchen were some of the best I have ever eaten.
I have a strong belief in the basics. I like natural ingredients prepared in ways that enhance their
inherent flavors. I don’t like masking foods or manipulating them so they taste like something
completely different. I don’t keep an overly stocked refrigerator and freezer, and I try to get to the
grocery a few times a week for anything fresh. Then I keep my pantry filled with moderate quantities
of the purest ingredients I can get my hands on. You can definitely cook without a refrigerator, but it
is nearly impossible to create a meal worth eating without a pantry.
Included in the following pages are fifty essential and basic items that you
should stock in your pantry to fuel a range of American meals, morning through night. Each section
begins with background and information on the pantry item and finishes up with three corresponding
recipes. These recipes are all very doable, even for someone new to cooking, and there is a “yummy”
factor to each, giving you 150 choices of approachable, delicious dishes to make. Your pantry should
not be intimidating but rather a pillar of support for your efforts in front of the stove.
I have also narrowed down a list of spices you should stock to round out your pantry. The spice
aisle is sometimes confusing and overwhelming with its number of choices, varieties, and brands. The
Foundation Items section breaks down the information in an easy, comprehensible way and details
what you should always keep on hand.
Truly, it gives me great satisfaction to cook in a smart, efficient way using what is on my shelves,
and I am excited to share these pantry-focused recipes with you. I hope you will use this book to
create and enjoy your own solid, robust pantry from which many meals and memories will grow.
CHEERS,
GEOFFREY
Description:Chef, restaurateur, and Food Network Iron Chef Geoffrey Zakarian shows you how to use your pantry to jumpstart any meal. Forget exotic condiments and specialty foods. With a working base of 50 readily available ingredients, from oats and honey to almonds and canned chickpeas, you will always have t
