Pantry Guides

Demystify spices, know your flours, and learn how to stock your kitchen for different cuisines with our pantry guides.

Overhead view of sumac in a bowl

an illustration of a golden tin of caviar with caviar on oysters on plates, and glasses of wine.

Where to Buy Caviar Online

Curry leaves on a plate with Spice Cabinet badge

What Are Curry Leaves?

Essential ingredients of a Persian Pantry

How to Stock a Persian Pantry

jars of stem ginger on a black countertop

Why I Always Have A Jar of Stem Ginger in Syrup in My Pantry

Cornstarch being added to cheese

A Guide to Cornstarch

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Nutritional Yeast: What It Is, How It’s Made, and How to Use It

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How to Stock a Korean Pantry: Jeot, Jang, and More Ingredients to Know

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A Guide to Salt, the World’s Most Popular Food

a group of pantry items typically used in Jamaican cooking

How to Stock a Jamaican Kitchen

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Beyond Vanilla: Extracts, Oils, and Waters That Can Improve Your Baking

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A Guide to Pepper: The World’s Most Popular Spice

Closeup of a bottle of aged Italian fish sauce called colatura.

Colatura di Alici: What It Is, Why It’s Worth It, and How to Use It

How to Stock a Japanese Pantry: 13 Indispensable Ingredients

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How to Stock a Mexican Pantry: 14 Ingredients to Know and Love

overhead shot of an array of tinned fish, or conservas, on a wooden table with bread and olives.

A Guide to Canned Fish and Seafood from Spain and Portugal

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How to Stock a Turkish Pantry: Flavorful Ingredients Worth Seeking Out

Overhead shot of Chinese culinary ingredients like sauce, mushrooms, and chilies

How to Stock a Chinese Pantry: Essential Staples to Keep on Hand

A selection of seaweeds (kelp, nori, ogo-nori, ao-nori, sea beans, wakame, dulse) viewed from above

A Seaweed Primer: How to Use Kelp, Nori, Wakame, and More

A bottle of orange blossom water with an orange next to it.

Spice Hunting: Orange Blossom Water

Overhead view of jar of passata, a bag of pasta, and mise en place ingredients

All About Tomato Passata, Italy's Puréed Pantry Essential

a spread of ingredients commonly used in Indonesian cooking shot from above on a dark blue background

Essential Indonesian Ingredients and How to Use Them

A collection of ingredients used in Moroccan cooking, including preserved lemon, rose water, cinnamon, saffron, Ras el Hanout, harissa, and a sheet of warqa pastry

How to Stock a Moroccan Pantry: Harissa, Ras el Hanout, and More

Bags of different types of flour against a purple background.

Types of Flour: A Guide

A small bowl of capers.

All About Capers, the Powerhouse Pantry Staple

Spice Hunting: Piloncillo

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Real Talk: DIY Vanilla Extract Is a Waste of Time and Money

How to Stock an Indian Pantry: Spices, Dals, and More Essential Ingredients

Bloom Ground Spices in Oil for Better Flavor

Use Gelatin to Improve Pan Sauces, Store-Bought Stocks, and Beyond

Spice Hunting: Cinnamon

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How to Use Saffron

What's the Point of Bay Leaves? | Ask The Food Lab

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How to Buy, Store, and Cook With Cumin

A bowl of pho with meat, noodles, herbs, and a pair of chopsticks resting on the side of the bowl

These Dried Worms Make Pho Taste Great

Spice Hunting: Asafoetida (Hing)

Why Sherry Vinegar Deserves to Be Your One True Vinegar

Spice Hunting: Vadouvan, A Curry Powder for Every Pantry

Spice Hunting: What's The Deal With Saffron?

Spice Hunting: Black Cardamom

Pantry Essentials: All About Liquid Seasonings

Spice Hunting: Chinese Fermented Black Soy Beans

Spice Hunting: Fennel Pollen

pink peppercorns

Spice Hunting: Pink Peppercorns

A handful of long pepper.

Spice Hunting: Long Pepper

Jar of Marmite

Pantry Essentials: All About Marmite and Other Yeast Extracts

Spice Hunting: Anardana, Dried Pomegranate Seeds

Spice Hunting: Black Mint

Mexican Food You've Maybe Never Heard of: Mixiote

What's Inside a Slim Jim?

Spice Hunting: Fenugreek (Methi)

Spice Hunting: Amchoor

Spice Hunting: Celery Seed

Spice Hunting: Coriander

Spice Hunting: Grains of Paradise

Spice Hunting: A Guide to Paprika

How to Stock a Thai Pantry: Essential Ingredients for Your Shopping List

How to Use Raw Sugar: Jaggery, Gula Melaka, Panela, and More

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All About Kecap Manis, Indonesia’s Sweet and Syrupy Soy Sauce

Spice Hunting: Limu Omani (Dried Limes)

Spice Hunting: Urfa Biber

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How to Use the Spice Mace

What's the Difference Between Baking Powder and Baking Soda? | The Food Lab

Milk chocolate

The Rise of Awesome Milk Chocolate