Back in the mists of time, in August 1982, the first article on the food-obsessed was published in Harpers & Queen, describing us as ‘foodies’. Two years later, Ebury Press published ‘The Official Foodie Handbook’, by Ann Barr and Paul Levy.
Helpfully, the book listed all the items which one should have in your ‘food cupboard’. The term ‘pantry’, although originally English, has been borrowed back from Americans, more recently.
Tinned anchovies in (a) olive oil (b) walnut oil (c) brine
Tinned French fish soup soupe de poissons
Tinned Connetable sardines (French)
Tinned tuna in (a) water (b) peanut oil (American)
Tinned artichoke bottoms
Tinned green olives
Tinned Greek Calamata olives
Tinned tomatoes
Tinned vine leaves
Tinned bamboo shoots
Tinned pleurotte mushrooms
Tinned choucroute garni
Tinned escargots
Tinned confit de poule
Tinned rillettes d’oie
Tinned smoked oysters
Jar clams in broth
Jar sun-dried tomatoes
Jar pimentos
Jar crema di carciofi (artichoke paste)
Jar capers
Jar Horseradish
Tabasco sauce
Worcester sauce
Balsamic vinegar
Champagne vinegar
Homemade blackcurrant vinegar
Homemade raspberry vinegar
Homemade red wine vinegar
Homemade white wine vinegar
Chinese rice vinegar
Soy sauce (light and dark)
Tahini
Harissa
Tunngot (Vietnamese pimento puree)
White truffle paste tube
White truffle, wrapped in tissue, in a jar of rice (in season)
Rouille (preferably Marseillaise)
Meaux mustard
Amora Dijon mustard
Assorted mustards
Lucca olive oil
Tuscan olive oil (A & M Zyw, Poggia Lamentano, Castagneto Carducci
Huile noisette (hazelnut oil)
Waitrose corn oil
Sesame oil
Cooking salt
Sea salt
Bicarbonate of soda
Green peppercorns
Bay leaves
Cayenne pepper
Paprika
Assorted herbs and spices in original jars and packets
Gumbo file
Crab boil
Photo by Théroigne S B G Russell
Maurice Messegue rosemary
Rakusens matzo meal
Poppadums
Dried haricot beans
Dried flageolet beans
Dried haricot beans
Dried ceps
Dried black mushrooms
Dried red lentils (orange)
Dried green lentils
Hunan dried soy bean with chilli
Preserved bean curd
Preserved radish with chilli
Pickled turnip
Alum (for pickling)
Chutneys and pickles (home-made)
Mushroom ketchup
String of garlic
String of peppers (French or Hungarian)
Several kinds of dried chillies
Whole nutmeg
Cloves
Saffron
Pea starch noodles
Brown rice
Wild rice
Arborio rice
Couscous
Polenta
Pearl barley
Dried farfalle
Dried stellini
Dried penne rigate
Dried rigatoni
Dried trenette
Dried vermicelli
Dried ziti
Grits
Trail mix
Jumbo oats
Pistachio nuts
Walnuts
Pine nuts
Poppy seeds
Sunflower seeds
Mace blades
Preserving sugar
Vanilla sugar
Icing sugar
Caster sugar
Harvest Gold dried yeast
Currants
Last year’s Christmas pud
Ratafias
Amaretti de Saronno (in paper)
Dorset Knobs
Orange flower water
Cheap French eau de vie
Maple syrup
Corn syrup
Honey (Provence etc)
Jams and jellies (apricot, blackcurrant, gooseberry, redcurrant, mint, sage)
Tisanes
Teas
All-Bran
Muesli
Photo by Théroigne S B G Russell
Fridge
Parmesan
Pecorino
Mozzarella
Ricotta
Mascarpone
Pancetta
Freezer
Home-made pesto
Coffee beans
Tagliatelle
Whole tomatoes
In February 2019, food writer and Royal stepson Tom Parker Bowles had his own ideas on a well-stocked pantry Country Life – Tom Parker Bowles
Jack Monroe, on the other hand, listed just eleven store cupboard staples in 2015 BBC Good Food – Jack Monroe