Urban Pantry Book Review

Urban Pantry: Tips and Recipes for a Thrifty, Sustainable and Seasonal Kitchen by Amy Pennington seemed interesting when I saw it at the library so I brought it home to check it out.  Because it was another cookbook and I had just read four, it went to the bottom of the pile. 

I finally picked it up and started reading one night.  The preface and the beginning of each chapter provides valuable information about preparing and cooking the topic in the chapter.  There are many items that the author suggests stocking in your pantry that I can only imagine that not every family stocks like emmer flour, whole wheat pastry flour, fair trade organic cane sugar, bittersweet chocolate bars, coconut oil, vermouth, and frozen puff pastry sheets.  I currently have bittersweet chocolate bars in the cupboard but that is only because they were on sale and there was a coupon... plus I love my friends chocolate pie recipe that calls for that chocolate bar!!

I do have items that I keep in my house at all times and I do try to keep the pantry stocked but my pantry isn't nearly as pretty as hers.  I keep flour, sugar, brown sugar, powdered sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder, chocolate chips, butter/margarine sticks, shortening and a bunch of spices.  I also have Karo Syrup and molasses right now which aren't always in the pantry.  I usually have white rice, brown rice, cous cous, quinoa, spaghetti, penne, and a few other grains to make a side dish.  What do you always stock in your pantry?

I didn't find the recipes ones that I would probably make frequently as the author does.  In my quest to the perfect roast chicken, I might try the recipe for roasting a whole chicken.  I am a planner and like to sit down with the calendar and make a plan of what we are going to have every night for dinner with items that are already at the house in the refrigerator, freezer, and pantry.  The author specifically said that she likes to stock the pantry with these items because she wants to make the meal that she is in the mood for when she gets in the kitchen.  As a busy stay at home mom, I just want to get a healthy dinner on the table for my family.  I find that planning and using items that I got on sale helps me to stay under budget and stay more creative so that we aren't eating chicken and rice every night (although my husband has told me many times that would be fine with him).

When I was younger, my aunt used to make homemade dressing and I remember really liking better then all the store bought stuff.  I don't know why I never made homemade dressing but I haven't but I am going to add it to my list of things to do this summer.  I am interested in trying her everyday vinaigrette which is a super simple recipe:

3 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 tsp Dijon mustard

salt and pepper

If you are interested in being more green and eco friendly, this is the book for you.  Check it out at your local library or bookstore and let me know what you think!