The Perfect Pantry®

Cocoa powder (Recipe: cocoa-cumin-allspice rub)

Sometimes I uncover an item in my pantry that's a bit of mystery. I know I should have it. In fact, I'm never without it. I just don't know why.

Cocoa powder is the mystery du jour.

What, exactly, is cocoa powder? What makes some of it Dutch-processed? Is natural cocoa powder better, or just different?

Here's what I've learned.

Pine nuts (Recipe: toasted piñon shortbread)

Wahooooooo!

After the soggiest, cloudiest, buggiest Spring and early Summer here in rural Rhode Island, my basil plants have perked up. In fact, they're in need of a trim, and that means pesto, and that means pine nuts.

Or pignoli.

Or piñon.

Or pinocchi, pinhao, pinolos, pinoccoli ....

Thyme (Recipe: frittata with broccoli and garden herbs)

Of all the four food groups — parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme — my favorite is thyme.

Not because wearing it in your hair is said to make a woman irresistible. Not because it's supposed to ward off nightmares and negativity, and encourage good health. Not even because Titania, Queen of the Fairies, slept in a bed of thyme, though that does sound delightfully indulgent. 

None of the above. I just love the taste.

And, okay, the irresistible-to-men thing would be a pretty good reason to keep thyme in the pantry.

Miracle Whip (Recipe: wild rice salad)

Updated July 2010.

Strangers are about to learn a dirty little secret my family has known for years.

I eat Miracle Whip (gasp!).

In fact, I like it better than real mayonnaise (gasp!).

My favorite thing is to smoosh up Season sardines, mix in some Miracle Whip, and scoop it up on wheat crackers (gasp, gasp!). I learned this from my dad. My cousin Martin used to ship the sardines to me from Maryland (no other brand will do, just like no other mayo will do), because until recently I couldn't find them here. Finding the Miracle Whip was never a problem.