Ted built this spice rack to hold many of my everyday herbs and spices.
I have another "holding area" in the cellar, for things I use less frequently (yes, I'll show you that, too). And I keep larger quantities of some herbs and spices in the freezer. If my pantry were really perfect, the spice rack would be the length of a supermarket aisle, and everything would be stored at the eye level of a five-foot-two woman. No reaching, no bending.
Our log house kitchen features bumpy walls inside and out. Ted rummaged around in the barn and found an old wooden door, part of which became this spice rack, custom sized (28 inches wide, 22 inches tall) to hold my assortment of old and new jars and tins. The best part is that it looks like it's been there forever.
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I've shown you mine. Now, you show me yours.
Show me your pantry: cupboard, shelves, closet or cellar. Or your spice rack. Spice box. Spice cabinet. Or the corner where you've stacked boxes of pasta or cans of tomatoes.
Show me, and I'll show everyone else, because -- admit it -- we're all curious about Other People's Pantries.
Send (to lydia AT ninecooks DOT com):
- a photo of your pantry (all or part), along with
- your first name,
- city or state or country where you live, and
- if you're a blogger, your blog name and URL.
If you want to write something about your photo, please do -- but it's not required. If you've already blogged about your pantry, be sure to include a link to your post.
Photos should be JPGs, ideally 460 pixels wide --and if what I just wrote is gibberish to you, don't worry; just send whatever size and shape photo you have, and I'll make it work. Feel free to watermark your photo if that's what you usually do.
On Saturdays, I'll post the photos, one each weekend in the order in which I receive them, along with your first name, and, if you're a blogger, a link to your blog.
Send everything to lydia AT ninecooks DOT com.
Come on -- snap a photo. Give us a peek inside your pantry.
Cool!
Paz
Posted by: Paz | January 26, 2008 at 08:08 AM
Lydia, you always come up with the greatest ideas. I'm looking forward to "peeking" into everyone's pantry.
Posted by: Pauline | January 26, 2008 at 08:52 AM
Ah! A few of the famed wooden spoons.
Posted by: Laura | January 26, 2008 at 06:01 PM
I look forward to doing this! It will have to be when I get back from the next trip. What fun to see everyone's pantry's!
Posted by: Gretchen Noelle | January 26, 2008 at 07:30 PM
What a fun idea, Lydia!
Posted by: Michelle | January 27, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Paz, Pauline, Laura, Gretchen, Michelle: Show me, show me -- would love to see your pantries!
Posted by: Lydia | January 27, 2008 at 11:08 AM
That space looks so warm, inviting and inspiring! Your collection of wooden spoons is incredible, and I love the stone mortar (?) in the bottom right.
Send you a picture of my pantry right now :)
Posted by: Nupur | January 27, 2008 at 11:30 AM
My "pantry" is such an embarassment since I moved into my new place. It's not so much a pantry as it is random things placed in random places all over the kitchen.
Posted by: brilynn | January 27, 2008 at 01:17 PM
What a fun idea! It's good to see that your definiton of "pantry" is fairly broad... living in a New York city apartment means that my "pantry" is scattered across cupboards, shelves and in spice racks. I may have to go and take a photo!
Posted by: Ann | January 27, 2008 at 02:19 PM
Great idea! Your spice and knife nook is inspiring and I expect to enjoy more from others. I'll pass -- I have a real, if small, pantry (with a door and a light and neat spice built-ins, but in its current state it's a death trap, suffering from the too-many-condiments syndrome.
Posted by: Susan G | January 27, 2008 at 09:27 PM
Nupur, the stone mortar (a three-headed Mexican molcajete that I brought home from the market in Guadalajara) is my pride and joy. And for some reason it makes the world's very best guacamole!
Brilynn, I don't think of "pantry" as a place -- at least not a confined place. So go on, send us a photo....
Ann, I'd love to take a peek. And my pantry is the same -- a rack here, a shelf there, a pile in the cellar....
Susan, show us your condiments -- and I'll show you mine. I'd love to see what a real pantry looks like!
Posted by: Lydia | January 27, 2008 at 11:23 PM
I think I might have a picture and a post from the past. I'm traveling but as soon as I'm home I'll send you something if I can find it here.
Lydia, I LOVE that pantry and the warm kitchen that surrounds it! That is a pantry of dream!
Posted by: MyKitchenInHalfCups | January 28, 2008 at 08:42 AM
Oh...I am scared! I gotta clean before even entertaining the idea of this event! A reason to straighten up...hmmm...:)
Posted by: Chris | January 28, 2008 at 08:11 PM
I've been thinking about doing this for my pantry. It's a fabulous idea!
Posted by: Amy | January 29, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Sounds like fun, we'll be submitting soon!
Posted by: White On Rice Couple | February 08, 2008 at 11:19 AM
This sounds really fun. I will take a picture of my "pantry" this weekend and send it to you. Hehe.
Posted by: Rasa Malaysia | February 09, 2008 at 01:02 PM
MyKitchen, looking forward to sharing your pantry photos with everyone in a few weeks!
Chris, no no, come as you are!
Amy, hope you'll share with us.
White On Rice, Rasa Malaysia: oooh, I can't wait to see your pantries -- you are all such amazing cooks!
Posted by: Lydia | February 09, 2008 at 06:39 PM
your collection of wooden spoons is superb.I saw the mortar...where did you get it?
Posted by: nasihah | February 17, 2008 at 05:27 AM
Nasihah, I bought the mortar (called a molcajete) in Guadalajara, Mexico, in the central market. I'd never seen a molcajete quite like this -- it has three animal heads (cow, pig, lamb). It's quite large, really, and was a bit of a challenge to carry home on the plane!
Posted by: Lydia | February 17, 2008 at 07:07 AM
Hi Lydia, referred here by Tanna, love the idea, I did something similar a while ago and I loved to peek inside other peoples pantries! Will come back for sure!
http://bakemyday.blogspot.com/2007/02/round-up-pantry-visits-duik-in-je-kast.html
Posted by: baking soda | March 21, 2008 at 05:36 PM
I am currently away from Jamaica so when I return, I will send a picture of what my pantry looks like. Yours Lydia is great!!!
Posted by: June | April 11, 2008 at 09:27 PM
What a fun event... might give me an excuse to clean mine out a bit :)
Posted by: Kristen | April 23, 2008 at 09:40 PM
Baking Soda, June, Kristen: c'mon, show us what you've got!
Posted by: Lydia | April 23, 2008 at 09:49 PM
Fun! I'll join in as soon as I possibly can.
Posted by: Susan | May 11, 2008 at 10:02 AM
Fabulous idea I will join in soon.
Posted by: George | May 14, 2008 at 04:19 AM
Susan, George: Looking forward to peeking into your pantries!
Posted by: Lydia | May 14, 2008 at 10:56 PM
yeah, right i'm curious too of other people's pantries...
btw, we have the same name just different spell...
:)
Posted by: Leadja (read: Lidia) | May 17, 2008 at 02:01 AM
Oooh, I'm joining -- after we move next week. Nice, nice idea, Lydia.
Posted by: Connie | June 20, 2008 at 06:30 AM
This is a great idea and I am going to try and snap pictures of my pantry (which is quite large)
I'm also going to try and explain why a single person would and should have a large pantry
Posted by: Kim | September 21, 2008 at 03:41 PM