Other People's Pantries #105

From Judy, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania:

My kitchen is very small, so we try to make use of every inch of space.

This is a built-in cupboard -- we think it may have begun life as storage for an ironing-board. These are the spices I use the most (note the fourth shelf from the top, composed only of peppers -- I am very proud of that).

This began life as a CD shelf, but now it lives in my kitchen as storage for tea and coffee. The two sugar bowls are for white sugar and sugar in the raw (my favorite with strong, milky tea).

 

Shelves lining the steps down to the basement. This is where I keep beans, tomato products, rice, pasta, etc.

The outside of the closet in my kitchen: spice blends, hot sauces, baking items, dried chiles.

Two of the shelves inside the closet -- baking items and oils and vinegars.

 

I love spending time in my kitchen -- yes, the counter space is frustratingly small, but I have worked hard to build up the items in my pantry and it feels good to have what I need at hand.  Thanks for looking!

On Saturdays, we peek into Other People's Pantries.

Come on -- show us your pantry.

*Other People's Pantries is booked for two more weeks. If you'd like this feature to continue, please send in your pantry photos. Pantries are featured every Saturday, in the order in which they're received.

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Comments

Every now and then I see a pantry that makes me want to step in, reach for a few ingredients and start cooking. This was definitely one of them! Lots of great stuff in short space.

What a great pantry! Nicely done.

Small can be "just right", especially in your kitchen! Thanks for sharing. PS love the CD rack tip.

Such an impaginative way of using limited space!! You also have a wonderful combination of ingredients. Beautiful!

I love the stuff on the shelves down the basement stairs, so homey! Makes me want to come over and cook with you! Lovely!

Michele, thanks! I'm glad my pantry makes you feel that way - that's the nicest compliment one foodie can get from another :-)

Deena, thank you! Can you tell that I'm obsessive (whenever possible) about keeping similar items together?

Thanks, Melynda! The CD rack was so much easier to find than some specialty storage rack - although it's not always easy to find things that work with those proportions.

Pauline, thank you so much! It has taken a lot of thought, discussion, and experimentation on the part of me, my husband, and my son(s). I love my pantry, and especially finding "perfect" ingredients - I'm glad it shows.

Kirsten, I can't think of higher praise! Stop by anytime - but you will have to learn the "dance" that is necessary when more than one person cooks in my kitchen at the same time :-)

ditto on what Michele said

Thanks, Milton! Maybe I should have a pantry party...

Oh, I love the repurposing of the CD shelf!! And what an awesome array of spices and blends! You have a great collection there.

I love that you have like 4 different types of cinnamon...my husband might ban me from shopping if I had a spice variety like yours (I'm sooo jealous!)

Sarah, thanks! I love my spices :-) My one rule for myself, when spice shopping, is not to buy a lot of spices that I have no plans for using - I "must" go in with some recipes in mind.

I hear you, Risa! Luckily, my husband doesn't pay attention to my spice shopping :-)

My middle son is a cinnamon addict - he loves it on everything, and the stronger the better! That means I *must* have the Vietnamese cinnamon (which I use sparingly). For most of my baking, I prefer the Indonesian cinnamon, which is milder. Then, the last time I was at Penzeys I decided to try the Ceylon cinnamon, which they describe as having citrus overtones. I'm not sure yet what I'll use it for (thus breaking my own rule - see above!). The other cinnamon bottle is cinnamon sugar - I just keep adding sugar and cinnamon to an old cinnamon bottle.

Love your use of small space. I'm originally from Philly and there use to be a spice shop in the Italian market, not sure if it's still there (it's been 30 years)
Thanks for sharing.

Ghiradelli in two places and lots of vinegar variety - that is my kinda pantry!!!
Awesome!