The current contents of my fridge at home:  non-perishable condiments, a Brita filter, beer and some ungodly leftovers that need to disappear. (However, we do have a beautiful two bone rib roast in the freezer that be cooked very soon!)  Everyone always asks me what my kitchen looks like at home. The truth is much less glamorous than most people want to believe.

While I would love to support a fully stocked larder of fresh produce, beautiful filets of fish and locally raised meats, I’m just not home nearly enough to justify having these products in the house. It’s an injustice to throw away any sort of food, and this inevitably happens when I try and stock the fridge. So instead I focus on having a good supply of dry goods on hands at all times. This ensures that when I actually want to cook, I have the products on hand that I need to produce an impressive meal.

Ever go grocery shopping and realize when you got home that you’re out of salt? I used to do it all the time. You can’t cook especially well without salt…or flour, or sugar. Staples are important and they tend to come in large pack sizes. There are a ton of storage options available to the home cook, and it seems like new ones hit the market every day. I’m an old-fashioned dude when it comes to home wares, and kitchen storage is no exception.

Reusable is practically the catchphrase of the decade, and we need only look to our past to find the best product on the market for storage, the trusty Mason jar. We use them for everything in our house. Our spice racks are lined with pint sized jars where I store flour, sugar and salt in the 2 quart sized jars, and the half-pint size is perfect for the pouring off fat when I do actually decide to cook at home. And when they’re empty, they make a fantastic drinking vessel for your adult beverage of choice (BOURBON!!). A twelve pack of Mason jars will run you about 12 bucks, and if you decide to do preserving, you’ve already got your mise en place on hand.

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