Question of the Day: What one ingredient do you never skimp on?
What's the one item at the grocery store you never buy generic?
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32 Comments:
I never skimp on vanilla or garlic...you can never have enough!
Lilartist at 9:03AM on 04/09/07
garlic, butter, cilantro, basil.
savvy at 9:40AM on 04/09/07
Well, it's not a grocery store purchase, but I never skimp on fish. Also, generic ketchup is a waste of time - if it's not Heinz, it doesn't taste like ketchup to me.
caley at 10:01AM on 04/09/07
Butter, shrimp, scallops, ice cream.
ThatGirl153 at 10:23AM on 04/09/07
Oh, Mighty Serious Eats Team, do you mean skimp or stint? There seems to be a little confusion here...
Barbara Hanson at 10:35AM on 04/09/07
I'm with the garlic folks...if you're going to do garlic, do a lot of garlic!
N2ink78 at 10:49AM on 04/09/07
olive oil, parmigano reggiano (OK, that's two)
Lou at 11:21AM on 04/09/07
There is no butter but Lurpak
Jules at 11:39AM on 04/09/07
def. parmigiano reggiano. the generic stuff made in the U.S. just doesn't cut it.
ambienttra at 12:42PM on 04/09/07
Freshly grated nutmeg. Real vanilla. Fresh herbs.
Meg Hourihan at 1:29PM on 04/09/07
BaHa: I typed up the question list this week. I meant "skimp," as in frugality. For instance, I try to save money by buying generic light bulbs, generic trash bags, etc. But I don't skimp on, say, milk or meat -- I like to buy the organic/all-natural/non-hormone blah blah blah stuff.
But, say, when it comes to mashed potatoes, I don't stint on my use of butter.
skimp: to give insufficient or barely sufficient attention or effort to or funds for
stint: to be sparing or frugal [not stinting with their praise]
Adam Kuban at 1:47PM on 04/09/07
Vanilla....I make my own and maple syrup...it has to be local, and has to be Grade A dark amber or Grade B when I can get it!
mepolo at 2:15PM on 04/09/07
two things I definitely don't go generic with..... Vanilla (usually Madagascar Bourbon) and Maple Syrup.
Alm25 at 2:22PM on 04/09/07
That's what I thought! (The mere thought of stinting on butter makes me dizzy.) I don't skimp in my shopping. If times are tight (I'm an editorial freelancers and those times do come), I make something else, rather than skimp. That said, never skimp on real maple syrup, parmesan, and butter (Kate's, from Old Orchard, Maine, in which town I have to say I noticed no cows whatever on the Tilt-a-Whirl or elsewhere, in the many times I've visited.)
Barbara Hanson at 3:11PM on 04/09/07
Maggi - European version that costs 2-3 times as much.
The Guilty Carnivore at 3:21PM on 04/09/07
I just started drinking organic milk when I read that it lasts longer in your refrigerator. Once I started, I doubt I will go back. It just tastes somehow... milkier!
Diz at 3:40PM on 04/09/07
Don't forget vodka (I never do)!
Acme Instant Food at 3:47PM on 04/09/07
locatelli romano cheese, cheese (all kinds), vanilla, penzeys everything,olives, canned tomatoes, vodka, wine, lemons, limes, veggies, garlic, chocolate
JerzeeTomato at 4:00PM on 04/09/07
proscuitto.....and vino, the wine can be inexpensive, but it can't be CHEAP
Seriouspoorcook at 4:06PM on 04/09/07
I never, ever buy standard eggs anymore, only free-range, omega-3 enhanced. It's the one thing I really allow myself to be a total yuppie-snob about.
And I love organic, heirloom tomatoes
Recipe4Living at 4:43PM on 04/09/07
Balsamic vinegar! Once I tasted high quality balsamic I realized that the inexpensive brands just aren't even in the same league. It can make or break a dish!
Acme Instant Food at 5:45PM on 04/09/07
Cheeses...once you have tasted cheese that doesn't come from Kraft it is really hard to go back.
Lauren at 6:20PM on 04/09/07
Coffee, eggs, chocolate, yogurt & bread.
JEP at 6:48PM on 04/09/07
Coffee, more than anything else. And fresh produce.
producestories at 7:53PM on 04/09/07
Coffee, yes (Peet's), eggs from a nearby farm (a rarity on Long Island), and whatever fish the local guy tells me I want.
jscheck at 9:50PM on 04/09/07
Butter!
El_Asador at 11:20PM on 04/09/07
Vanilla. Why bother making a dish if you're going to use extract??
JubileeNYC at 11:40PM on 04/09/07
tea, pasta, rice
femmebot at 1:07AM on 04/10/07
Vanilla (prefer paste or beans to liquid); eggs (always Omega-3); coffee (I love Trader Joe's for a lot but not coffee - too weak!); extra virgin olive oil for bread dipping (prefer a really fruity one for straight-up dipping).
Clare K at 2:00AM on 04/10/07
Mayonnaise. It must always be Best Foods regular*, never reduced fat, low cholesterol, or flavored with lime juice. If I want lime flavored mayo, I'll add some lime juice and/or zest to regular. I have tried the newer one that is made with canola oil and it's passable, if a bit different. Honestly, it seems oilier, like it might break if given the slightest opportunity.
*I'm sure that I'd buy Hellman's if I lived in the east.
Calichef at 2:28AM on 04/10/07
chili powders. i always buy the dried chilis, roast em, and grind them myself.
Joshua Bousel at 8:07AM on 04/10/07
balsamic vinegar & parmesan reggiano.
wickedlady at 2:54PM on 04/10/07