Cover Story

Stock your pantry

By Elizabeth Davies

ROCKFORD WOMAN

Aug 22, 2008 @ 03:00 PM

A nicely furnished home doesn’t just have dust-free end tables and fluffed-up couch pillows. It also has a pretty well-stocked pantry.

Too often, we let our kitchen cupboards become overrun with boxes of mac-and-cheese or half-eaten bags of stale potato chips. For food that is a little extra special, check out the pantry-fillers we found at shops throughout the Rock River Valley.

Academia Barilla balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil
Now, you know any bottle with a label written almost entirely in Italian has got to be good.

Aside from the fact that your cardiologist would love this combination, these Italian imports are must-haves for any serious Italian cook. Pick one that is great for your seafood dishes, in a marinade, on a salad or for dipping bread. You’ll pay $31.99 for a 25.4 ounce bottle of the oil, and $13.59 for a 17-ounce bottle of the vinegar. Pick them up at DiTullio’s Deli, 1402 20th St., Rockford. 

Lakewood Organic 100 percent fruit juice
Unlike the juice boxes stashed in the back of your pantry, these juices come in dozens of adult-friendly flavors. You can pick up everything from pineapple, blueberry and pomegranate to mango, black cherry and pear papaya. The best part? It’s not from concentrate and has no added sugar. Prices range from $5 to $10 per 32-ounce bottle, depending on the cost and availability of the fruit. You can find it in a number of local health food stores, including Nature’s Pantry, 112 W. Main St., Rockton.

DL Jardine’s salsa
And you thought salsa was all about tomatoes and onions. Think again! This line of unique salsa flavors has great offerings such as mango mariachi, raspberry chardonnay and cranberry orange. If you still want that south-of-the-border flair, go with the zesty cilantro lime.

You’ll pay $5.59 for a 16-ounce jar at Countryside Meats and Deli, 781 Highgrove Place, Rockford.

Fresh and unusual spices
Amana Food Market, 5661 Wansford Way, Rockford, has an assortment of unique and exotic food. They feature specialties from the Middle East, Russia, Albania, India and Pakistan. But among the most popular is the store’s selection of spices. You’ll find traditional American favorites such as nutmeg, ginger and cinnamon sticks. But Amana also carries spices that aren’t as well-known in these parts: kabsa, seven spices, black seed, anise and green cardamom. A little spice will go a long way, and you’re paying anywhere between $3.49 and $8.99 for a pound of it.