Essentials

One of the most important aspects of cooking is the ingredients. It is extremely important to use the freshest and best quality ingredients you can get your hands on. Here are a few essentials to get you started.

Good quality organic eggs - In my prior post about omelets I briefly touched on how important it is to buy free-range, organic eggs. There are many reasons for this. The majority of eggs on the market today are terrible. They are produced by hens that have not moved nor seen real sunshine for their entire lives. Their wellbeing is about as important as a blade of grass as far as the large egg producing companies are concerned. When looking for eggs to buy try to get them at a local farm market, organic if possible. When buying at a supermarket only settle for free-range, cage-free, organic eggs. They may cost a dollar or two more but they are worth every extra dollar because of both the taste and humane benefits.

Organic Extra-Virgin Olive Oil - Olive oil is a staple in my kitchen and every kitchen I have ever worked in. There is a reason for this. For starters it is very versatile. You can use it for for just about anything that requires oil in cooking. You can use it in salad dressings. You can drizzle it over a dish as a finisher. The possibilities are endless. To say olive oil is good for your health is an understatement. It is high in monounsaturated fat (the good kind), which protects against heart disease. It is rich in antioxidants and oleic acid, which protect against free radicals, cell damaging agents. Olive oil is also an anti-inflammatory. There are lots more health benefits and full explanations on olive oil at whfoods.org.

When buying olive oil make sure that it is cold pressed, extra-virgin, and organic. There are lots of terrible olive oils on the market but rest assured you can be guaranteed that your product is good if you look for those three things. Anything less than this is really just a waste of money. When in a supermarket looking for a good extra-virgin olive oil to buy, pick one out from the back of the shelf, as it will have been exposed to light less than the ones up front. When olive oil is exposed to light and left uncovered it oxidizes, causing its nutritional benefits to decline. Store it in a dark place, away from light and tightly shut for best results. And also when cooking with it keep the heat on the low side, as it retains more flavor and more health benefits when at a low temperature (below 300 degrees). Of course when consuming raw you get the maximum health benefits. There is a reason why people in the Mediterranean are so healthy and happy, and the role olive oil plays in their diet is a large reason why.

Sea Salt - Good sea salt is something any good kitchen cannot live without. It helps bring out the flavor in just about everything, and can liven up a dish in just a pinch or two. Without salt, the culinary world would not be what it is today.

There is a big difference between your standard "table salt," and "sea salt." Table salt is bleached and stripped of all minerals it previously contained, then iodine is added. Sea salt is completely natural, nothing taken away and nothing added. Table salt not only tastes terrible, it is also not good for you. It is like comparing wonderbread to a freshly baked baguette. There is no comparison in terms of taste, smell, and health benefits. There is no reason why anybody should use table salt when they could be using sea salt. There are many different consistencies to choose from when buying sea salt, from coarse to fine. You can usually find quite a few different varieties, so pick one out you like best. Also some sea salts such as "fleur de sel" should not be used in the actual cooking process itself, only at the end, so make sure you find an everyday sea salt. If you aren't already, I urge you to start using sea salt now.

Spices - Spices add a whole other dimension to cooking, they can make dishes spicy, aromatic, and very flavorful when used sparingly and not overdone. They can be the difference maker between a good dish and a memorable dish. Its always a good idea to keep at least a couple jars around, but the more the better. Here are some of my personal favorites: cinnamon, allspice, cloves, cumin, coriander, and pepper to name a few. You bring out the most flavor in spices by toasting them first, its not necessary but if you have the time just put whatever you going to use in a small pan and toast it on low heat for a minute or two, but be sure not to burn them. Also remember to keep the spice jars tightly shut, as the spices will loose their freshness if they are left out uncovered for too long.

Honey - Honey is a great sweetener for about everything that could use it. Its great on yogurt, good on toast, in soups, and in desserts to name a few. It can also be very good for you. When buying honey try to get it local. New Morning Farm carries some great honey from a neighboring farm in Pennsylvania which is great, but you can of course find great honey where ever you live. Whats important about buying honey local is that it is helping sustain your entire local ecosystem, the bees pollinate the flowers, fruits, and other crops near by and then make honey. Consuming this honey that has been created entirely in your local ecosystem is both good for you and the area you live in.

There are many other things that are important in a kitchen. I have given you only a few here but I hope that they serve you well.

Until next time.

A votre santé.