The Quarantine Pantry Part 4


Let’s get real, during these strange times, we’ve all gotten to flex our kitchen skills. The following essential ingredients are delicious, nutritious, helpful and filling (or all of the above) taking the chore out of hunkering down at home.

City Style and Living Summer 2021 The Quarantine Pantry Part 4
/ Collage K&S Media

Let’s get real, during these strange times, we’ve all gotten to flex our kitchen skills. The following essential ingredients are delicious, nutritious, helpful and filling (or all of the above) taking the chore out of hunkering down at home. 

Cha’s Organic True Ceylon Cinnamon Quills

These beautiful, perfectly intact quills can be used in both baking and savoury applications: think snickerdoodles and curries.  Gently perfumed and sweet in taste compared to cassia bark (often confused for cinnamon), this true Ceylon cinnamon bursts with complexity. 350g; chasorganics.com

Qualifirst Whole Green Cardamom

If you’ve ever sampled an Indian dessert, you’ve probably tasted the signature perfumed earthiness of cardamom.  These small, green paper-like pods, are filled with tiny black seeds, best ground using a mortar and pestle to extract the most flavour and sprinkled into dishes like crème brûlée, semolina cake or Gurkha chicken. 365g; qualifirst.com

Nuts.com Strawberry Powder (Raw)

Who doesn’t love a fresh strawberry during the height or summer?  Though abundant during these months, the sweet juicy gems, out of season, can be tasteless and sour.  This fuchsia powder, made from free-dried strawberries retains a natural taste and is a good source of vitamin c, so you can easily add to smoothies, or baking (think macarons) for that irresistible strawberry kick. 4oz; nuts.com

My Fish Dish Lemon and Herb Butter Wild Scallops

Be a gourmet chef in minutes.  These large Atlantic scallops, seasoned perfectly with a compound butter with thyme, oregano, sage, and lemon are ready to go into a hot pan.  Use the seasoned butter to napper (spoon over the scallops), like a real chef and to keep these delights moist. 198g; Myfishdishes.com

Cap Bon Harissa Hot Sauce

Bring a spicy touch of North Africa to your home cooking with this deep rust-coloured spicy condiment, a blend of chilies, garlic, coriander and caraway.  Spoon 1 teaspoon harissa and a ½ teaspoon salt to marinate meat before grilling, or put into a casserole dish together with a variety of vegetables, ½ cup water, and handful of dried fruit and preserved lemons for an hour and end up with a delicious stew. 135g; qualifirst.com

City Style and Living Summer 2021 The Quarantine Pantry Part 4 summer
/ Collage K&S Media

Avonlea Clothbound Cheddar

Home to great whisky and great cheese, the Scottish Orkney Islands, are the origin for this award-winning English style cheddar recipe.  Dairy from small, local farms in Prince Edward Island is gently heated to create depth of flavour and character to the final cheese.  Grassy and earthy notes are balanced by delicate sharpness and a firm texture that is lovely on a cheese board or grated over vegetable for a gratin. 180g; cowscreamery.ca

Yves Veggie Cuisine Mexican Veggie Ground Round

Meat substitutes are all the rage, but not all equal in flavour and quality.  Bursting with all the earthy spices found in typical Mexican fare, and with all the texture of real ground meat, use this in fajitas, tacos or Texas chili. 340g; yvesveggie.ca

Nuts.com Za’atar

A staple in Middle Eastern cooking, this traditional blend of spices contains sesame seeds, cumin, thyme, and sumac.  The versatile spice can be sprinkled over top of hummus, added to marinades, vinaigrettes or combined with olive oil as a tasty dip.  1lb; $8.99; nuts.com

Silk Unsweetened Cashew Milk

Taking a break from traditional dairy doesn’t have to mean compromising on creamy, flavour or nutrients.  Cashew nuts with a hint of sweetness are widely used as a dairy substitute thanks to their richness and this unsweetened cashew milk is also a source of calcium and vitamin D. Add to cooking, baking or swap at breakfast.  1.89L; silk.com

BC Fresh Parsnips

The long, partially cool season climate of BC’s Fraser Valley form the perfect conditions to grow parsnips.  These large conical vegetables maintain moisture inside and are not fibrous or stalky.  Boil in milk, thyme, garlic and salt and blend for a creamy, sweet puree.  Peel into long strips and fry for a crunchy snack or bake in the oven with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper for an incredible side dish. 2lb bag; bcfresh.ca

Windset Farms Crescendo Sweet Pointed Peppers

The fierce colour and sleek elegance of these peppers may look super spicy but are anything but.  Beautifully sweet, turgid and a good source of Vitamin A, C and E, these elegant peppers make fantastic presentation on their own (think stuffed with rice), or added to salads.  Best of all, when stored in your fridge’s crisper, they can last for more than 2 weeks.  Go exotic, and add sauteed peppers to shortbread cookies, make a sweet jelly or even throw into a frittata. 2lb bag; windsetfarms.com


This original food article first appeared in the Summer 2021 issue of City Style and Living Magazine.

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