help stock my new fridge

[kleinfortlee]

yay! i finally got my new refrigerator (from my cheapskate landlord)
now...i need to stock it...i need your input!
i'm fine doing all the basics that i use...but, i would appreciate your input as to what else to keep in there
please suggest your favorite foodie items that you always have and use in your fridge...
expand my range of ingredients, chowhoundworld!
thanks for all your responses

bill

[aussiewonder]

Cheaters garlic, cheaters ginger, a selection of homemade chutneys, chilli sauces (sweet and spicy), good bottle of Champagne, string cheese, aged cheddar, goat's cheese, Roaring 40s Blue Cheese, some random new cheese, Kalamata olives, fresh squeezed oj, 2% organic milk, brown eggs, apples, berries (when in season), dark chocolate, tomatoes, salted butter, bottled h2o, hard boiled eggs, a leafy green (pea shoots, rainbow swiss chard, bok choy, broccoli-rabe).

[soupkitten]

2 or 3 types/colors of msg-free miso, capers, preserved lemons, pesto, chili paste, 2-3 types aged grating cheese, 2 types slicing cheese and 1-2 types spreading cheese, 4 types preserves, real maple syrup, artisan butter, heavy cream, good white wine and cooking red and white wine, fresh ginger, homemade chicken and veggie stock, whole grains & whole wheat flour, baker's yeast, brewer's yeast, organic eggs, firm tofu, plus salad greens, citrus fruits and in season produce. i confess to always having "cheater's garlic" as ElissaInPlaya refers to it!

in freezer: fresh rosemary needles (stripped off of the stems), more homemade chicken, beef and shrimp/lobster stocks, 2 sorbets, frozen berries, pastry shells, pizza dough, frozen organic bananas in bags (for baking & smoothie use), good bacon, venison when it can be obtained, herbed butters, frozen espresso in cubes

[ElissaInPlaya]

Wow-- this is a broad question. What kind of food do you like to cook?

Lemons, capers, sun-dried tomatoes, chicken better than bouillon, tahini, cheater garlic and cheater ginger (jarred, pre-peeled and minced). Butter. I like pfarrell's list too.

[kleinfortlee]

elissa,
i like to cook all types of foods...i really enjoy making my own fusion dishes, mixing and (sometimes) matching flavors...recently into asian, african, turkish, and indian cuisines...always italian, plus american church cookbook recipes
so, feel free to suggest eclectically!

bill

[ElissaInPlaya]

This sounds like fun! If I were you, I would start with the sugestions you have gathered here. Then, pick four or five recipes that you'll cook in the next few weeks - and make sure you have all of the ingredients. Bingo - you're on your way to a fully-stocked refridgerator.

[maestra]

A variety of curry pastes, "Dragonboat" brand Thai chile paste, Walkerswood jerk seasoning paste, Italian tomato paste in a tube, white truffle oil (I've heard that refrigerating it extends its life), a well-wrapped hunk of good parm, a bottle of limoncello, and interesting beers or hard ciders.

[kleinfortlee]

maestra,
can you get the curry and chile pastes on-line? i've never seen them in any local supermarket? can you recommend specific brands?

kevin,
can you do the same for your sauces and paste, please?

thanks to all repliers!

[KevinB]

Perhaps it's because my wife is Asian, but we always have Chinese Sweet Chili sauce, Hoisin sauce, and Tamarind paste. These make great basting or dipping sauces when you want to dress up some plain roast chicken or a pork chop.

[pfarrell]

Champagne... parmesean reggiano...aged cheddar...parmesean butter...olives...blood orange bitters...olives for martinis...olives for eating...

[Lindsay Yssel]

Clementine nectarined, plums, camenbert cheese, irish salted butter, pesto pesto pesto, crushed garlic, olives and bulgarian yogurt and cucumber for any time snacking of crackers with tzatiki. I put these items firstly into my fridge before i even bother with bread or milk, because snacking is what were always desiring, With love all the way from South Africa. Happy shopping