Recently the blog Epicuriocity.com took me to task for leaving two critical ingredients off the list of foods I bought to stock the kitchen in my son's new condo. (See Pantry Stocking post.)
It was a forehead-slapping moment for me.
How the heck could we have forgotten Parmesan cheese, that culinary wonder that's essential to risotto and pasta dishes and can dress up frozen pizza, canned soup, simple salads, steamed veggies and take-out rice bowls. Heck, it's even the go-to item for getting a finicky dog to eat his dinner.
Epicuriocity also tsk-tsk-ed the lack of Plugra butter in the condo's fridge. Again, I plead nolo contendere. I keep a block of Plugra in my own refrigerator (and another in the freezer for emergencies) and though I try to use it sparingly, I would never saute vegetables or scramble an egg without it.
The difference between Plugra and regular butter is summed up on the Plugra Web site: Regular butter contains 80% butterfat. The remaining 20% consists of water and milk solids. Plugrá European Style Butter contains 2% more butterfat and is slow-churned in a way that creates a lower-moisture, creamier texture than other butters.
I also agree with Epicuriocity that a fancy-schmancy finishing salt is a critical staple. 
Kosher salt is important for adding while foods are cooking. A finishing salt, used sparingly just before serving, adds depth of flavor and a desirable texture to the final product.
However, whereas light and lacy Maldon sea salt is the choice of Epicuriocity, I prefer Anglesey sea salt from an island off the coast of Wales. Its delicate flakes have a clean, bright flavor with no bitterness.It has a beautiful sheen and satisfying crunch. A bottle by Victoria Taylor Seasonings costs about $10 at Igourmet.com.
These and other finishing salts are described in my article "Seasoning from the sea" in the San Diego Union-Tribune
.
Comments