As a young girl I loved to look at the laden shelves in my Mother’s and Grandmother’s walk-in pantries. There was so much to look at, indeed it was quite an education. It was like a guided tour of ingredients, flavours and aromas. Hanging from the ceiling were all sorts, ranging from baskets, strings of things tied together, utensils and stockinged meats maturing.
The stone shelf usually had an array of bowls containing dripping, yesterdays leftovers, today’s pudding, cheeses, butter and the bottomless jug of milk that had been boiled in order to prevent it going off. If you were very quiet with the door shut, not only did it serve as a hiding place for games of hide & seek, but also you could hear the drip, drip, drip of the boiled fruit in the jelly bag in readiness for bottling the next batch of preserves.
So, with the above being my inspiration I always sought to own a walk-in pantry myself . I acheived this with the house I now live in and would never want to have to crouch down on my haunches to be able to select foods for meals ever again. Believe me mother really did ‘know best’ on that score. Back ache is no longer my bet noir since I have been able to select foods standing up!
My recommendations for starting your own pantry are firstly to have easily washed shelf surfaces, walls and floor. As much airy space as you can afford in the space allotted. Plenty of washable storage containers and jars. Also if you have exposed ceiling beams as I have, plenty of hooks on which to suspend certain items, such as strainers, bread baskets, brown paper bags on a string, or foods wrapped in muslin such as preserved or dried meats. I even hang herbs and flowers from the ceiling too.
Lidded baskets for storing potatoes in darkness and a bread bin for bread and rolls is a must for your pantry. You may also find an electric socket or two useful. Should you be fortunate enough to have a counter top or stone shelf you could perhaps use a food mixer and keep it and the mix away from any busy kitchen traffic. I use mine to make yogurt in the electric yogurt maker.
Any recesses can also be shelved out or made into a wine storage area. At one point two doors led into the pantry I inherited and we blocked it up and put a very large wine rack which male visitors enjoyed perusing. Not to mention the wine being out of harms way when excited children or animals were visiting.
coices of food to store in your pantry are of course personal. However, I would recommend staples such as tea, coffee, bread, potatoes, dried pasta, tinned tomatoes, baked beans, canned vegetables and fruit, jelly, jams, eggs, milk and butter. If you are a keen cook then of course flour, sugar, herbs, spices and flavourings.
I am sure your new pantry will not only be enjoyed by yourself, but also others. From my experience my children, even though adult, always head into the pantry to take stock of the treasures therin … after kissing mum hello …. of course!
Lastly I learned from the special ladies mentioned above that a store of standbys proved very useful when unexpected guests arrive. I would like to share with you the following recipes which are so easy and quick to prepare using some basics from the pantry. Why wait for the guests ?
QUICHE ME QUICK Serves 12 or 6 hungry people.
6 oz / 170g Self-raising flour, sifted
2 oz / 55g Bran
6 medium Eggs
¼ tsp. Salt
¾ pt. /425ml Milk
3 oz /85g Butter
1 large Onion, finely chopped
1 large Tin of salmon
3 – 4 Large mushrooms sliced finely
8 oz / 225g Broccoli cut small
Dill to taste
Ground black pepper & salt to taste
Medium to strong cheese grated to flavour
¼ – ½ tsp. Grated nutmeg
Preheat your oven to Gas 4,180C, 350F.
Into a large bowl put the flour, salt and butter. Rub in the butter and add the bran.
Beat together the milk, eggs and cheese then stir in all the other ingredients until well mixed.
Pour mixture into a well-greased quiche dish and bake on the middle shelf for 30 mins. Until golden brown and risen.
Serve hot or cold with lemon wedges, and salad of your choice.
CHOCOLATE FUDGE PUDDING
3 oz /85g Self-raising flour
2 Tbs. Cocoa
4 oz /115g Butter
4 oz /115g Caster sugar
2 Eggs
2 Tbs. Water
¼ tsp. Vanilla extract
Pinch salt
SAUCE
4 oz /115g Soft brown sugar
2 Tbs. Cocoa
½ Pt. /280ml. Hot water
Preheat oven to Gas.6, 380F
Sift flour, cocoa and salt.
Cream butter and sugar beat in eggs and fold in the flour, cocoa, and salt.
Add water and vanilla extract and beat a little more. Pour into a well buttered 2 Pt. Dish.
Mix together the sauce ingredients and pour over pudding. Bake in centre of oven for 40 mins.
Serve with fresh cream or crème fraiche.
Sonnets & Sage 