I have two master’s degrees related to developmental models. Both Child Development and Organization Development provided me with concepts of how we become who we are, what steps and stages we can expect to traverse, what ways we recognize ourselves within those stages and claim our own authentic ways of being.
It won’t surprise anybody to know that when I try a new restaurant, I start by looking at the chef’s signature dishes or other indications of the chef’s personal palate.
In my food-related career—I was a foodie before it became a meme—I have taught cooking and developed recipes for decades. I always encourage people to think about how any given recipe can complement and meld with someone’s own preferred palate, perhaps resulting in their own signature or famous dishes. (I make legendary scrambled eggs!)
As in all developmental models, we learn as we go, starting with basics and adding and developing techniques and ingredients to become adept and reflect how and what we like to cook.
When I crave something, which is almost always how I approach food, I know how to either find or achieve what satisfies me.
I’ve been asking people what makes a recipe or particular preparation authentic. One friend’s instant answer: “Family recipes.” Another, “When the dish I order from a restaurant tastes the way I remember it” or “When I know the quality and locality of the ingredients.”
All good answers. When we eat away from home, we expect a certain level of reliability in what we order. Whether it’s the fries at McDonald’s or the pho at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant, we count on the consistency of the experience. Especially in fast food and less pricey restaurants, we go because we count on having the food we expect. No experiments and no deviation from the basic offering.
When I eat out with friends, I often look for new experiences and places that on the explorative side of either my own experience or a chef’s unique food prep. “What is ripe or ready for each day? What new ingredient has the chef been playing with? What prep matches those realities?
I keep adding new ingredients to my list of staples. White miso is always in my refrigerator to enhance marinades, salad dressings, soups and other dishes. Instant umami, it is the fifth flavor we perceive as savory. I am learning how to embrace pastes—anchovy paste, vanilla paste, tahini, pesto of all sorts. A little bit can go a long way to elevating a dish to something extraordinary.
I always conduct an internet search for recipes for any particular ingredient. Not only do I see things I never would have thought of, which I rarely admit, I see how they are used and what they relate to best.
Given that cluster of considerations, here is a personal inventory of ingredients and their uses that people might encounter when I cook for them.
Rebecca’s Pantry Staples
Pomegranate Molasses: Use it in salad dressings, marinades and bastes for tofu, fish or chicken.
Mama Lil’s peppers: I use the big jars from Costco. I chop them for frittata and mix them into egg and tuna salads. They add a tangy element to charcuterie spreads and their oil is a good start for sautés that you want more zip.
Marinated artichoke hearts: Chopped in frittatas, cut up in salads, scattered around chicken and potatoes on a sheet pan, my large jar goes a long way. The marinade gets used as part of whatever liquid might also be incorporated.
Olives: There are many varieties to choose from. They always serve as easy appetizers and find their way into many main course dishes.
Capers: I add them to any dish with lemons—think picatta—add them to egg salads and tuna salads. Smoked salmon begs to have them nearby.
Canned “tinned” fish: The new darlings of the internet—tuna, mackerel, trout, salmon, sardines. They add protein and flavor to everything from classic tuna salad to pasta sauces. Check out each fish’s recipes online. They are wonderfully versatile.
Vietnamese Fish Sauce: Just a few drops in a salad dressing or soup will add a deep note that matters but most people have no idea of where it comes from.
Preserved Lemons or Preserved lemon puree: If you are drawn to the flavors of Morocco or other countries from that area, some chopped preserved lemon or teaspoon of puree add both depth and a pleasurable complexity.
Maple Syrup: I admit I don’t make pancakes or waffles but I still like maple syrup as a choice for adding sweetness to bastes, marinades, desserts.
Flavored vinegars and flavored oils: My pantry has a Drizzle Shelf from a store in Bellingham, Wash. Those same flavored vinegars and oils are available in many specialty food stores. Search the internet for flavored vinegars to be surprised by the variety. My more than a dozen different balsamic vinegars and flavored finishing oils give me endless opportunities for combining and creating flavor combinations for all parts of my meal. Strawberry balsamic is fabulous on fresh fruit.
And don’t forget the Absolute Necessities:
- Garlic—fresh, pureed, salt and powder
- Ginger—fresh, dried, shredded, pickled, pureed
- Lemons—I have anxiety attacks if I inadvertently run out of lemons! Lemon zest and juice add brightness and zing to just about everything.
Rebecca Crichton is executive director of Northwest Center for Creative Aging and presents programs on that topic in the Seattle area. She worked at Boeing for 21 years as a writer, curriculum designer, and leadership development coach. She has master’s degrees in Child Development and Organizational Development and is a certified coach.