Quarantine has revealed for many of us the importance of a well-stocked pantry; for some, their pantry was an absolute lifeline in a tough time. Anne Milneck—chef, owner of Red Stick Spice Co., and host of Smidgen— talks on this bonus episode about pantries, staples, and stocking up. How do you make sure you’re stocking stuff you actually use? How can sauces make all the difference for your pantry meal planning? Should you stock up on spices? What do oils and balsamics have to do with a well-planned pantry? What mindset should you have about planning your pantry? All this and more on this episode of Smidgen.
Mentioned on the show:
- SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: Online cooking classes with Anne Milneck! No matter where you are in the world, you can learn from Anne via Zoom. Class listing here: https://www.redstickspice.com/collections/cooking-classes
- Curry is a dish that can almost wholly be made with pantry items. Explore all the curry options on the Red Stick Spice Co. website (including some of the spice blends.)
- Lentils are another pantry staple that can be made quickly and can host a variety of flavors. There’s a lot about lentils on the Red Stick Spice Co. website: https://www.redstickspice.com/search?q=lentils (There’s also a round-up of 25 bean recipes that can inspire many meals here.)
- Your freezer is an extension of your pantry, especially for veggies and meat. Our local butcher is Galen Iverstein, of Iverstein Farms. (Galen was on the very first episode of Smidgen, listen here.)
- Get the Essential Spice Starter Set—combine spices from this set to deliver the flavors of the world to your meals. The Essential Spice Starter Set makes an awesome wedding gift or for someone setting up house.
- You won’t believe the array of flavors found in the balsamics at Red Stick Spice Co.! Catherine might have got in trouble for chugging blackberry balsamic; Anne touted the strawberry and honey ginger balsamic.
- Olive oils (in dark bottles) can store great in a pantry—see the selection of olive oils offered by Red Stick Spice Company here.
- Catch Red Stick Spice Company on Facebook Live! Anne and her crew will be cooking live. Follow along or get some ideas for dinner. Red Stick Spice Co on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/redstickspicecompany
We invite you to reach out to us with any ideas you have, or just to say hello and check in. Contact us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
Hear all Smidgen episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Pandora,or your browser, or your favorite podcast app. Smidgen is the podcast of Red Stick Spice Co.