Here are 5 sustainable items that you should always keep in your dry pantry. Think of them as the items you'd have to have if you were stuck on that proverbial deserted island.
Salt
Salt is one of, if not the most important ingredient you will use. Malcom de Chazal sums it up by saying, "Salt is the policeman of taste: it keeps the various flavors of a dish in order and restrains the stronger from tyrannizing over the weaker." You should not be afraid of using salt. If you buy natural, non-processed ingredients, you will need salt to bring out their true flavor.
All cooking salts are made from sea salt or mined from inland salt deposits. The three major culinary salt categories are kosher salt, sea salt, and iodized table salt. The most import of these salts to have on hand is course grain Kosher salt. Kosher salt is pure refined rock salt with large crystals, also known as coarse salt or pickling salt.
Diamond Crystal salt is the chef's favorite because of the size of the grains, the texture, the quick "dissolveablity" and the overall flavor profile. Diamond Brand is owned by Cargrill, who "is committed to being a global leader in corporate citizenship by nourishing the people and possibilities that reside in communities where we do business."
Because iodized salt is table salt with added sodium iodide, it will make clear liquids and sauces cloudy. Leave iodized salt on the grocery store shelve. Buy an extra "pepper" grinder, fill it with kosher salt or sea salt and use it in your cooking.
Non-GMO Vegetable Oil
This is a tough one. The four major Genetically Modified crops are soy, corn, cottonseed, and canola. The major problem is, at least for now, you won't see GMO on the labels of foods in the US because producers are not required to tell you. What to do?
Look for American made, organic and non-GMO oils from producers such as Thumb Oilseed Producers making Soy Beginnings oil in Ubly, Michigan, Spectrum Organics making Spectrum Natural oil in Petaluma, California and Organic Principle from the Dalles, Oregon. These products are slightly more pricey than other vegetable oils but I for one don't like being experimented on.
Vinegar
The French word vinagre, from which we derive the word vinegar, originally meant sour wine, but now it includes all liquids where alcohol is turned into acetic acid.Think of vinegar as the balancing pole used by high wire performers - bring all the elements of flavor back in balance.
The most sustainable solution: make your own vinegar at home. With some left over wine, acetobacter bacteria (a vinegar mother) and a little time you can save yourself the sticker shock from those little bottles of gourmet vinegar. Oak Barrel Winecraft, has vinegar making kits that come with either an oak barrel or a demi-john, your choice of starter culture (red or white), a complete set of vinegar making instructions, and the book Making Vinegar at Home.
Rice
The most versatile rice variety is Jasmin. Jasmine is an aromatic long grain rice originally grown only in Thailand. The grains cook up moist and tender with a soft texture and an aromatic, delicious flavor.
Again, the key is to look for organic and non GMO, American made rice. Lundberg Family Farms of Richvale, California and RiceSelect of Alvin, Texas both make organic Jasmin rice along with a wide variety of other organic rice varieties and blends.
Dried Fruit, Vegetables and Mushrooms
Preserving the harvest dovetails perfectly with the concept of sustainable cooking, since it's all about using what is produced or raised locally, what's in season, and storing it so it can be used in the future. Dehydrators for the home are actually very inexpensive, extremely energy efficient and can work non-stop, 24-7. The key is buy in season, buy in bulk and take advantage of farmers' markets - don't forget tomatoes are vegetables. Would you rather dry your own wild mushrooms at $15 a pound or purchase prepared dried wild mushrooms at $40 a pound?
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