New pantry section in the store!

We always try to have fresh products at home, but we are aware that there are occasions when an unforeseen event prevents you from going shopping that day, or that from time to time you have unexpected guests whom you definitely want to impress and surprise. That’s not to mention that there are some things that, heck!, we really like and want every day!

It is for these situations that we believe it’s worth having a well-stocked pantry with quality preserves and condiments, por that we opened a new section, which we call "The Pantry" at Claudia&Julia, with products we have selected with great care, that we love and that are sometimes hard to find. I hope you enjoy it, and that it inspires you for a traditional, tasty and healthy cuisine!

It is a pleasure that on the opening day, Beatriz, author of ToBeGourmet, tells us about some of the products from the Pantry and, what we like most, inspires us on how we can use them to create well-rounded dishes. Don’t miss her ideas, they’ll give you plenty of options!

Living in a small city has its advantages: getting around is easier, more things can be done in less time, and life is much calmer. But I have always missed the variety of food products you can find in a big city, especially when I think of somewhat special items, those that can transform a simple dish into something much more sophisticated, that help us handle an unexpected commitment by putting together a great appetizer in two minutes

So thinking that from now on the doors of Claudia & Julia’s pantry open and I can get delicatessen or imported items, special things I don’t usually find, with just a couple of clicks and without leaving home, seems like wonderful news to me.

And that is an advantage that will undoubtedly also benefit those who live in any city, large or small, who have little time to wander among the shelves of gourmet stores, or find it impossible to run around to gather such a variety of different and appealing products, selected with the same care with which books, pans, and other utensils for the traditional and healthy cooking that is this online store’s hallmark are chosen. A store that now opens to the creativity and imagination of those of us who love to cook at home, to make our meals increasingly tasty and unique experiences.

If we take a quick look through Claudia & Julia’s pantry we find a huge variety of special items, high-quality oils, some very original, vinegars of different flavors and nuances, wonderful sauces, sea salts, spices, mustards, chutneys, jams, bomba and carnaroli rices and also pastas. Premium preserves are not missing: bonito and tuna belly, and of course a space for vegetables - broad beans, cristal peppers, asparagus or white cardoon, all top quality and from artisanal producers.

At the higher end there is Russian King Crab, foies, mousses and savory crackers created to accompany all kinds of preparations, for appetizers, or even just to serve with a glass of cava.

There are also sweet biscuits, and of course the selection is exquisite; Walkers’ butter biscuits are wonderful, and Jules Destrooper’s are also very tasty. In short, a collection of products to enrich our offerings on special occasions.

It is difficult to make a selection from all of the above to describe how we can make the most of them when cooking at home, but I will give you three tips:

TWO EXQUISITE PRODUCTS

For being little known and for their potential to enrich very simple recipes, I would highlight:

“Virgin coconut oil”. Maybe because I have always loved chocolate, and I like to make a thousand recipes with this ingredient, I would recommend coconut oil for coverings or bonbons. Mixed with some squares of chocolate it tones down and perfumes its flavor incredibly. It can also be added to coffee or infusions to take advantage of its health qualities (cardiovascular benefits, strengthening the immune system).

Another option is to add it to cakes or pastries replacing part of the fats they contain (butter or oil); it also allows reducing the amount of sugar needed.
It also has applications in savory cooking. For sautéing vegetables, for example. Added to a pumpkin cream, it will give it a special flavor.

Organic virgin coconut oil

"Truffle butter bouquet". I picture a pat of this very flavorful butter on a freshly cooked beef tenderloin on a grill. With its well-defined grill marks. Something as simple as adding this small ingredient can completely transform a dish and give it a touch of originality and distinction.
With fresh pasta it’s fantastic, simply boiled; that touch of softness that butter gives together with the truffle aroma makes it unnecessary to add anything else.

FOUR SAUCES TO SHOW OFF

The range of sauces offered by Claudia & Julia’s pantry is magnificent, but let’s stick to four references.

“Hot mango sauce”. Incredible what you can do with this small jar from Wilkin&Sons Tiptree. It’s a sauce that goes great with everything Asian. It has a spicy touch from the ginger that makes it very special. Ideal to accompany wok-fried vegetables, tempura prawns.
To accompany pork tenderloin cooked simply on the griddle, it's spectacular. Or, if we stew it with a previously sautéed onion, we can add it to make a hot sauce.

“Mustard sauce with honey”. This is a very versatile sauce. Fantastic with meats, to marinate, for example, a beef round and then roast it in the oven. More informally it can be served to accompany chicken fingers, or mini burgers with arugula.
Slightly reduced with oil it goes great with smoked salmon, served on slices of sandwich bread that we can first flatten with a rolling pin and then cut out with cutters. A fantastic appetizer.

Raspberry pulp vinegar (left) and mustard sauce with honey (right)

“Espelette pepper pulp vinegar”. Although technically it is a vinegar since it contains fruit pulp, I’m including it in this sauces section. It is punchy and very flavorful, perfect to drizzle over cubed fried potatoes as if they were patatas bravas, or to enrich a garlic soup, or even a fish soup. It could also be interesting to add to a marmitako.

“Raspberry pulp vinegar”. Perfect to drizzle over a Brie cheese on a toast. And when warm it will accompany any game dish fantastically; adding whole raspberries can be very eye-catching and original.

ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR STEWS

Wines and vinegars added to meats or fish can profoundly change flavors, providing a background aroma that isn’t clearly identified but makes a dish special. They should always be selected of good quality, as they will greatly influence the result.

In Claudia & Julia’s Pantry we can find three very interesting vinegars, which are actually sold in a pack by Edmond Fallot, of very good quality: Jerez vinegar (a classic), cider or apple vinegar (very healthy) and white wine vinegar with tarragon.

“Sherry vinegar”. A very easy-to-combine vinegar, perfect for a gazpacho or to add to red meats, to enrich a stew. Sprinkled over a carpaccio it can give a different and very pleasant touch.

“Cider vinegar” (apple). Although it goes perfectly with shellfish or fish, I really like how it pairs with pork. A roast with onion, carrot, leek, garlic, pepper and a good splash of apple vinegar is a delicious proposal that will not leave anyone indifferent.
It can also be used in salads, or to make jams.

“White wine vinegar with tarragon”. It is ideal for the famous béarnaise sauce that pairs with fish or seafood. We would make it with 100gr of butter, 2 egg yolks, and 8 tablespoons of this vinegar after having reduced it over heat and cooled it. It’s a process that requires the technique of a bain-marie so that it mixes and emulsifies at a not-too-high temperature.
Of course adding this vinegar to a salad with prawns or crab is a fantastic idea.
Also very suitable for a roast chicken, or a fattened hen.

Cider vinegar, included in the Edmond Fallot 3-vinegar pack