 | 
| |
Ten Must-Have Pantry Items:
For a taste of the good life at a moment’s notice, Chef Michael Chiarello keeps a few key ingredients on hand.
- Salt-Gray Sea Salt or other sea salt
- Canned Beans
- Dijon Mustard
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- Olives: brine cured or salt cured
- Dry Pasta, Rice, and Polenta
- Peperoncini- Dried Chili Flakes
- Canned Tomatoes
- Vinegars: balsamic, red-wine, and white wine
- Bread Crumbs
|
Tips for elevating the ordinary:
Keep discovering.
Explore new tastes, new combinations and new ideas, and then share them. Whether it’s a new special ingredient or a new cooking technique, when you introduce your guests to something exciting, it turns an ordinary meal into a journey of discovery.
Add something unexpected.
Even when you’re making a classic, you can rev it up with an unexpected creative twist. For example, keep a variety of flavored oils and vinegars on hand, then add a unique layer of flavor by drizzling them over salads or roasted vegetables.
Maximize your time.
Pick up ingredients that will save some time, allowing you to spend less time doing prep and more time visiting with your dinner guests.
Buy yourself something beautiful.
When you present your meal in interesting and unique serving pieces that reflect your own interest and personality, you make even the quietest evening at home feel like a special occasion. Don’t worry about matching, just collect things that you love and use them every chance you get.
Move the meal.
Changing the setting is a wonderful way to elevate an ordinary meal. Add a few sparkling lights and move your meal under the stars. Or, set up an impromptu table in front of the fireplace. You don’t have to have a lot of space to make the setting interesting. Sometimes just turning down the lights and lighting a few candles can set the perfect tone.
Honor your guests.
If someone’s coming to dinner who loves a certain dish or has a special family heritage, include that in your plans. For your friend who loves wine, pick a special bottle. For your guest who adores chocolate, make a special dessert. Nothing makes people enjoy an exceptional evening like feeling honored.
| |
