Here are a few thoughts and ideas from our kitchen on a few basic ingredients.
Salt
Kosher salt fine and coarse - We like to use Kosher salt (Diamond Brand) as an all-purpose salt. It is pure and clean tasting and flaky. It dissolves quickly. The coarse salt we use in rubs or crusts, also as beds to insulate the heat in serving oysters and clams - and to clean our copper pots!Sel de gris (or guerand) . This salt comes from the Guerand part of Brittany. If you go in to a French commercial kitchen, you’ll see large bags of this slightly wet grey salt sitting in the pantry. It is expensive here in the states but it isn’t so expensive in France - a good gift to bring home! We also use salt from the Camargue region of souther France as a finishing salt on salads or vegetables, not for cooking. This salt is also sometimes called fleur de sel - the flower of salt. We love to sprinkle sea salt onto our homegrown (a harvest of about three total) tomatoes from the summer garden. Sea salt Sea salts are made all over the world. Our favorites are from France and the U.K. We use both fine and coarse.
Pepper
Black Peppercorns A favorite of ours is tellicherry. Some people like to have several peppermills in the kitchen; one for black peppercorns, one for white peppercorns, one for a house mixture. Our house mixture is 1/3 black peppercorn, 1/3 white peppercorn, 1/3 allspice berries. This is called poivre gris in French cuisine.White peppercorns White peppercorns are used in white dishes where black flakes would appear distracting. We think white pepper tastes a little hotter and we use much less of it than black pepper. We almost always use white peppercorn finely ground.Szechuan Pepper Since Kirsten recently went (again) to China she has added this to our kitchen list. It tingles and numbs the tongue and has a heady aroma. It can be used in western dishes and added to 1 part salt for 5 parts pepper for a spice mix.
Oils
Olive oils We usually have extra-virgin and regular virgin olive oil in the kitchen for cooking and salads. A current favorite in our kitchen is Moustafa olive oil from Morocco. Canola oil We use canola oil for deep-frying those delicious tortilla and vegetable chips for the bar and also for tempura night.Grapeseed oil This is our favorite oil for all-purpose cooking and high-heat cooking. We mix grapeseed oil and other specialty oils like walnut oil for salad dressings. Grapeseed oil is virtually tasteless and can withstand high heats. Sesame oil Kirsten is personally a big fan of Asian flavors. Nothing is more delicious than soy-sesame dressing. Sesame is also wonderful on it’s own with noodles and a little butter. Sesame oil comes in light and dark versions.Walnut oil We buy nice commercial-sized cans of French walnut oil to keep on hand for salads. We blend the walnut oil with grapeseed oil for a light, clean flavor. Be selective about the brand you choose. Walnut oil should taste nutty and strong.
Vinegars
We enjoy all types of vinegar cooking.Apple Cider vinegar This has a low acidity. We like to use it for pickling, use on salads, and sprinkled on vegetables.Balsamic vinegar Balsamic vinegar is made from Trebbiano grapes in Italy. The grapes are cooked down and stored in different types of wood barrels. Older balsamic vinegar is thick and delicious and expensive. Use it as a condiment or a seasoning added to finish a sauce or sprinkled on top of a dish. We always keep a batch of balsamic vinegar that we have reduced down to thick sauce on hand. Chinese black vinegar - this is made from rice and it is spicy and fragrant. Use as a dipping sauce, braising, and enriching element.White vinegar We like Heinz brand regular clear white vinegar for a nice sharp acidity. Some of the commercial vinegars in large plastic containers are not acidic enough.
Soy sauce
Light and dark Soy sauce can be used as a salt substitute in marinades, braises, and other non-Asian dishes. Remember to keep your soy sauce refrigerated - it is a perishable product and can go rancid.
