The freezer is a great place to store certain vegetables and meats as they last forever (long enough). A lot of you have probably heard that frozen vegetables are worse than fresh, this is actually incorrect. Fresh vegetables and fruits are picked up to a week before ripening and then sit on trucks and in produce aisles until… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 8: Freezer

Although refrigerated items tend to spoil, there are some important ones that you should consider keeping around. You know that guy who gets thirty minutes into making brownies and finds out he has no eggs? Don’t be that guy. BUTTER: Margarine is unacceptable. Butter is more than just a lubricant and conductor. Butter is full of all sorts… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 7: The Fridge

Okay, canned food is a mixed bag. The vast majority of canned vegetables are far better frozen, more on that later, and I would avoid canned meats altogether (Spam is actually pretty rad though). All things considered, there are some really useful canned goods to have in your pantry and I’m going to say them… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 6: Cans

Let’s talk produce. Normally I would tell you that vegetables on their own are the recourse of a man who has given up. Anyone who thinks that jicama all by its lonesome is a great snack has either given up all hope, or is trying desperately to parlay with death. Heart disease always wins, it’s very patient,… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 5: Fruits and Vegetables

It is time for a fourth installment and we aren’t even to the refrigerator yet. I know this seems like an enormous amount of food, but keep in mind that these are all things you would and should take for granted. Once your kitchen is stocked it will stay that way for a long time, as you can replenish single… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 4: Various Liquids

Let’s talk about vinegar. Vinegar is an acidic solution of water and acetic acid. Vinegar is produced through fermentation, that is, a process by which microorganisms are used to convert a specific component in a food into something else. In alcohol production yeasts are used to consume the sugar in a preparation and excrete ethanol.… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 3: Vinegars

Most recipes require liquids, whether we’re talking about a solvent, a conductor, or a lubricant it is going to be important. So, let’s divide our liquids into oils and water based. Oils serve triple duty as a flavoring, a lubricant, and an excellent conductor of heat. Most oils, olive and peanut being obvious exceptions, come from nuts and… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 2: Oils

Let’s start at the beginning. What does every kitchen need, you know, food-wise? You can’t be running to the store every day. There have to be some basic staples that can be kept on hand at all times right?  To make this easy let’s break it up between pantry and refrigerator. Pantry first: Grains, they don’t really spoil,… Continue reading Bare Minimums Part 1: Grains