How to get a week off

The Pantry is closed for spring cleaning.

Nobody who knows me would believe that. And I cannot lie to you.

The Pantry is open, but thanks to a bit of emergency surgery this past week (who needs an appendix, anyway?), I have to take a week off.

While I'm recuperating, I hope you'll tell me about the one thing in your pantry that's absolutely essential, that you cannot or would not want to live without. I've already confessed to my Miracle Whip addiction. What's yours?

By the way, this is a recent shot of my fridge. One of my fridges. More photos of The Perfect Pantry to come soon.

Back in a week.

UPDATE. Now that the morphine is wearing off, I notice that Sam has invited people to blog about the contents of their fridges. Beyond the fact that I've got Fresca, local milk, Trader Joe's Australian coffee, and asparagus, I'll just say that you've been reading here about many of the things that live in my refrigerator every day.

Comments

[Nupur]

Get well soon, Lydia! I hope you get lots of rest and relaxation for a complete and quick recovery.
The one essential in my pantry: canned tomatoes. I use them so often for tasty tomato-based dals and curries. Although there are dozens of other pantry items that I also rely on :)

[Genie]

Lydia, Lydia, ouch! I'm so sorry to hear about the inadvertent surgery, but glad they were able to remove it smoothly and that you're on the road to recovery. I'll miss your posts in the meantime, but will be wishing you very well.

It's very hard for me to pick a single ingredient I cannot or would not live without...I think I'm going to have to go with a tie between kosher salt and extra virgin olive oil. Each of those make everything else so much better in their own unique way...and I'm never without them both.

Feel better soon...you're definitely an essential part of my blog-reading pantry!

[Christine]

(((Lydia))) <-- a virtual hug for you. I hope you have a fast recovery.

Tough question, but I'll have to echo Genie and say extra virgin olive oil, and pasta.

[Susan]

Lydia,

Very sorry to hear that you have not been feeling well. Of course you must rest and recover. We'll be here waiting...and cooking.

Water is my pantry essential - good, clean, crisp water. It doesn't have to come out of a fancy bottle, either. A Brita filter does wonders to transform ordinary tap into something special for cooking and drinking.

[Pauline]

Be good and listen to the doctors to get well soon. My "must have" for cooking is unsalted butter in the freezer since I use olive oil based margarine for everyday.

[Callipygia]

Lydia- Be well and speedy recovery, I'll be thinking of you. Good lord that refrigerator is awesome (and you have more). Can't pick one thing, but I desparately need my "tea drawer" which certainly has tea, but also my goodies...from fancy honeys, chocolates, exotic spice covered nuts, biscuits *you get the idea". A whole lot of loving stuffed into a cubby hole.

[Susan from Food "Blogga"]

I wish you a speedy recovery, Lydia. I hope you use your time off to pamper yourself a bit. I'll look forward to your return.

OK, I can't select one essential item, so here are two: olive oil and San Marzano tomatoes. Can you tell I'm from RI?

[Christine (myplateoryours)]

You feel better soon, lady! I lost my appendix and have never missed it! :)

Can't live without Sriracha chile sauce, kosher salt and chardonnay vinegar.

[Kalyn]

Hope you'll be feeling better soon. Take care of yourself; the blog will be here. I am trying to think of something so original, but I guess either canned tomatoes (Muir Glen) or extra virgin olive oil would be my "must have" pantry items.

[T.W. Barritt]

Best wishes for a full recovery! My essential pantry item? I hate to admit it, but I'll say it here only: Reduced-fat Peanut Butter!

[Lucy]

Indeed - who needs and appendix?!? Hope you're back on your feet soon.

Extra virgin olive oil is a given so, I'd have to say tamari - it adds a certain 'meaty' depth to vegetarian fare. Especially with brandy, garlic and a just a hint of cream. Heavenly.

[Tea]

Oooh, feel better soon! Sorry to hear about the operation.

My must have? In addition to olive oil and salt, I can't be without fresh lemons. Use the juice and zest in almost everything.

[lobstersquad]

oh, no. get well very very soon please.
my pantry staples are very many, but most are to be found at the corner shop, so there are few emergencies. when I´m out of soy sauce, however, that´s worse.

[Pam]

SORRY about your losing a part of your body! Hey, as long as you can still eat, everything has to be OK!

In my pantry, I always have pasta, canned tomatoes, good EVOO, vinegar and olives.
A good pasta dish is only 10 minutes away that way...(~:~)

Hope you get better soon, we will miss you if you stay out too long!

P

[Pam]

Oh, I almost forgot, add canned anchoives and fresh garlic to my list!

[Kirsten]

Oh what a BAD way to take time off!! Last summer I missed 2 weeks for tonsil surgery. :(

Ugh...what ever happened to 1 or 2 weeks @ the beach, not for terrible body mishaps.

LOTS of love and water!! Get better soon!

Kirsten

[candy]

After the items already mentioned, I need a really good grating cheese. Also, I am in a panic if I do not have fruit that is ripe now, some great fruit that will be ready in 2-3 days, and a mango or two that will be ready after that. Oh, and avacados.
Lydia, we are all sending our love.

[Mary]

Coffee and fixin's (light Vanilla Soy for me). Any other pantry need can be solved or acquired as the day goes on. We're sending xoxoxoxo and wishes for a speedy recovery!

[stacy]

feel better!!!

i have to admit, skippy peanut butter must always be in my pantry. i am addicted to it!

[stacy]

feel better!!!

i have to admit, skippy peanut butter must always be in my pantry. i am addicted to it!

[Alanna]

Be well ............

[Patricia Scarpin]

Lydia, my dear, I hope you're feeling better! Take care - we want you 100% soon!

I'd have to say dried pasta. :)

[patti digh]

that's important surgery to have when you need it - hope your recovery goes well!

perhaps it's just because i'm hungry as I write this, but a recent staple is Nutella. It will pass, no doubt. Revolution Lavender Earl Grey tea is a must-have. Miso soup is another staple...I'm going to go eat now.

be well....

[connie]

oh I hope you feel better soon! rest up!

[Fran]

Lydia, get well soon! Essential for me? Linden Mint Tea (from Ocean State Job Lot, which used to be a Rhode Island thing but they're expanding....) and fresh carrots and frozen peas.

[Freya]

Ohh, get well soon!! Definitely better without the old appendix! At least it can't go wrong now you've had it whipped out, right?
Get well soon and we look forward to seeing you fully recuperated soon!

[Brenda@CoffeeTeaBooksandMe]

Get well soon!

I must have my favorite teas and coffee, along with a couple cans of Milnot to be used as cream for coffee.

Otherwise I think my favorite is Newman's Own vinegar and olive oil salad dressing. I not only use it for lettuce/veggie salads but for marinades and pasta salads.

[ktc]

The one thing in MY pantry that is absolutely essential - Coffee!

Best wishes for a gentle and complete recovery...

[Alisandra]

I told my husband that if he didn't like tomatoes and onions I probably would not have married him. I live in the middle of nowhere, so need to keep most staples on hand and be creative/flexible.

[valentinA]

C u soon with plenty of interesting stuffs to share with us Lydia!
Have a good rest:)

[Lydia]

Thanks to everyone for good wishes, good humor, and great suggestions of pantry staples.

Coffee -- yes! Olive oil, tomatoes, pasta, tea, soy sauce and tamari, peanut butter, lemons, Sriracha, vinegar, kosher salt.... now you see how I've ended up with more than 200 items in my pantry!

Back soon to write about more must-have items. Meanwhile, keep those suggestions coming. I love hearing from you and, when my brain clears and my body comes along, I'll throw open the Pantry doors and invite everyone to poke around.

[Lisa (Homesick Texan)]

I'm glad you're over the hump. Enjoy the rest even if it was unplanned. As for my staples, the two things I'm never without are garlic and cilantro. Sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar mayonnaise and chipotles are also a must for me.

[sam]

get better soon!

[ann]

oh Lydia, heal fast!
At your request the one thing I couldn't live without... Hmm... it could be olive oil, or salt, or lemon juice, but I think I'll go out on a limb and say canned tomatoes or pasata. I just couldn't make it through a winter without them.

[Anh]

Lydia, get well soon.

I can't cook Vietnamese food without a good bottle of fish sauce. Other items in my pantry includes dried fruits, dried noodles and pasta, canned tomatoes, oils, flours, vinegars, milk powder etc.

[Lydia]

Sam, thanks!

Ann, hard to choose just one thing, isn't it?!

Anh, thank you. Good fish sauce is a must for me, too -- but the one thing I cannot live without is chili paste with garlic.....

[Lydia]

Lisa, balsamic vinegar would have to be on my list, too.

[Jessica]

Kosher salt and sea salt (and good dijon mustard.) I have been known to travel with a container of good salt when going to visit my best friend. It seems I always end up cooking a meal and I can't stand using iodized salt. I've tried to convert them - but it hasn't happened yet. At least she got married so I had an excuse to buy her some decent knives!

[Chip]

Lydia: I trust by your chili paste comment that you're recovering well. The one thing I use every day on something is a Louisiana-style hot sauce, usually either Crystal or Frank's.

[ASMO]

Hope you feel better soon, so I can get my Pantry-Fix. Selfish or what?

My ubiquitous pantry item? Hmmh, let me see... Olive oil? Or tinned chickpeas? Nope, olive oil it is!

[Mary]

Hope you have a speedy recovery. I could reduce myself to cheese, bread and wine, but I'd rather have vinegar, oil, oregano, red pepper flakes, sea salt, tomatoes, basil, coffee, skim milk, pasta and garlic as well. Everything else is superfluous in my everyday kitchen.

[Lydia]

Jessica, I've really given up iodized salt completely since discovering kosher salt years ago.

Chip, thanks, I'm on the mend -- and I love a guy who uses hot sauce every day!

ASMO, hang in there -- I'll be posting again starting tomorrow!

Mary, thank you. I love your must-have list; in fact, I think that with the addition of a few fruits and vegetables, I could live on it!

[Kelly-Jane]

Sorry to hear about your op, hope you are back to normal very soon - but do take it easy!

[catherine]

Sorry to hear this. I lost mine at 16. I was surprised to find they'd stapled me together though.

[Lydia]

Kelly-Jane, I'm getting there, slowly....thank you for good wishes.

Catherine, I was surprised to find that, too. (Glad I was asleep...)