Pantry Essentials

When it comes to pantry items, balsamic vinegar is a must have. The dark, tangy vinegar, a result of fermented white grape juice, has soared to popularity in recent years. Now, it’s not just used by chefs in fancy restaurants, but by home cooks as well. Traditional balsamic vinegar made in regions of Italy, went [...]

Each week, as your Fresh 20 menu lands in your mailbox, you’ll often see many of the same ingredients listed under Pantry staples. What may be new to you is how these common ingredients can be used in ways you may not have tried before. For example, white wine vinegar. Sure, it’s rather neutral flavor, [...]

Soy Sauce is a condiment, often associated with Asian cuisine. Invented over 3,000 years ago, it is made by a fermentation process that includes soybeans, roasted grains (often wheat) , brine and various yeast molds. After fermentation has taken place, the mixture is pressed, resulting the dark brown, salty liquid we are familiar with. In [...]

When it comes to cooking, there are many things that can make or break the final dish, but how you season it might just be the biggest. Adding salt during cooking, and again when finishing your masterpiece can mean the difference between a meal that is bland and one that is full flavored and enjoyable. [...]

Onions are probably one of the best known pantry staples. In your Fresh 20 menus, you’ll find them used in a variety of ways; sautéed in olive oil to add a carmelized sweetness to your vegetable dish, finely chopped for colorful flavor in salsas and in combination with fennel and garlic, each enhancing the other [...]

Honey is a natural sweetener that is produced from flower nectar by honey bees. It contains about the same sweetness as granulated sugar and performs well in both raw and baked dishes. Maple Syrup is also a natural sweetener, made from maple tree sap. Just as flavorful as honey, it pairs well with both meats [...]

If you are looking to add a little spice, and maybe even heat to your pantry staples, look no further than cayenne and chili powder. Their warm, fragrant aroma and deep color can bring another level of flavor to almost any dish. You’ll find, when looking through your Fresh 20 menus, that these two spices [...]

Native to the mediterranean and used in ancient times, Cumin is a spice that has survived the centuries. Grown as a seed on an annual plant, Cumin is then ground into the smoky, warm spice we are familiar with today. You’ll find cumin used in a variety of dishes in your Fresh 20 menus. It’s [...]

When you think of mustard, what comes to mind? The bright yellow, tangy condiment added to potato salad or the finishing touch to a hamburger, straight off the grill? While good ‘ol yellow mustard is great for just those things, Dijon mustard is quickly making itself known as a condiment of choice, as well as [...]