Thanks in large part to geek foodie guru Alton Brown, the home kitchen has undergone a spectacular renaissance as a haven for science, innovation, and gadgets. And in tough times like these, learning your way around the kitchen can not only give you geek cred, but it can also help you reduce your grocery bills.
For the first installment of Kitchen Chemistry, I’d like to share my top five ingredients worth saving up for. Because? Because superior food comes from superior ingredients, even on a limited budget.
1) A good Italian cheese, hard and aged. Whether it’s Parmesan or Romano, get something wedge-shaped and invest in a micro grater (which, by the way, can also be used for #2). Grate it yourself and you will get many benefits; It stays fresh for a long time, and while you may have to shell out $10 for a serving (I buy Peccorino Romano at Costco), the flavor is exponentially better than the crap they pass off as cheese in the green shaker. Your spaghetti will thank you.
Price: $10-$15
Applications: pastas, salads and stews
2) Real lemons and limes. I’ve heard of a mysterious yellow bottle filled with citric acid that occasionally breaks loose on unsuspecting fruit salads, but I think this is just a myth used to scare small children. With real lemons and limes, you actually get two products: juice and zest. So why would you use anything else? The juice is found in everything from hollandaise to hummus, and the zest can transform boring muffins and meat dishes. Buy in bulk to save and keep fresh in your fruit drawer.
Price: $1.99-$4.99 pound
Applications: pastries, sauces, marinades, salad dressings, Mexican and Thai cuisine
3) Herbs and spices – Particularly basil, oregano, pepper, sea salt (which is a mineral and therefore not an herb or spice… but hey, it is an edible rock), various curry mixes, sage, cinnamon, nutmeg and thyme . Grow and dry your own (most of them love summer weather and can even be planted indoors) or budget accordingly during subsequent trips to the grocery store. Herbs are essential for a good homemade salad dressing, marinades, relishes, and curries (which are a staple in our house). In addition, they allow incredible experiments to be carried out. My personal favorite? Salish smoked salt, which makes for mind-altering barbecue.
