A pantry is defined as a “small room off the kitchen, where cooking ingredients, utensils, pots and pans, china & etc. are kept”. I once lived in a house with a pantry, and it had a window looking out over the back yard. It was a pleasant space, one where I not only perused the items available on the shelves, but often took a moment to pause and reflect on events of the day and life in general. I miss that pantry. Alice Waters and her daughter Fanny Singer have combined their considerable talents to produce a charming little kitchen companion: “MY PANTRY: Homemade Ingredients That Make Simple Meals Your Own”. A well-stocked pantry is quite a comfort to home cooks, and Ms. Waters states that “A familiar pantry is like being surrounded by friends who won’t let you down, within instant reach”. Building your own “food fortress” is valuable not only for long-term meal planning--it also allows for flavorful impromptu dishes. The book’s sections include: Spice Mixtures and Condiments; Nuts; Beans and Other Legumes; Savory Preserves; Whole Grains; Preserved Fish and Meat; Cheese; and Sweet Preserves. Some of the recipes included are: Chile-Lime Salt; Chocolate Nut Bark; Lentil Soup; Roasted Tomato Sauce; Zucchini Pickles; Multigrain Porridge; Oat Pancakes; Salted Fish; Beef Broth; Chicken Stock; Farmer’s Cheese; Crème Fraiche; Raspberry Syrup; Candied Citrus Peel; Mary Jo’s Brandied Cherries; and Vanilla Extract. Author and Chef Alice Waters is the owner of Chez Panisse Restaurant in Berkeley, California. She is also the founder of the Edible Schoolyard Project, which integrates gardening, cooking, and sharing school lunch into the core academic curriculum. Fanny Singer, who provides the delightful illustrations for “MY PANTRY”, is an art historian, curator, and illustrator based in London and Cornwall.

Book Copy Gratis Pam Krauss Books via Blogging for Books ( )

A nice reference for anyone who wants to keep a pantry of homemade condiments and other staples. I'm not quite there (yet). This is a lovely little cookbook, though, that I have yet to really use, although Waters's advice is always valuable.

This book is so inspirational! I was reading it at night when I had insomnia, and it was all I could do to stay in bed and not get up and cook stuff!

The recipes and text are both very straightforward- not at ALL fussy!- but complete, and all of them have exciting variations both in making them and in ways to serve them. Almost all of them can be done with minimal kitchen equipment, and they're designed for lasting- I think the shortest-lived ones would last maybe a week, refrigerated, but much last far longer.

It's definitely worth reading all the text rather than just diving into the recipes. Waters's thoughtful context makes the recipes themselves even more exciting.

Very recommended indeed for cooks who like some straightforward DIY that allows us to bring unique flavors to even simple dishes, made with excellent ingredients. ( )

Has everything you need to make your own mixes,cheeses, preserves and much more! Easy to follow instructions, much needed recipes for any pantry. ( )

The origins of progressive Western nutrition. ( )