The Bookshelf: Olives & Oranges

by jbfauthor on May 12, 2009

We asked Sara Jenkins, chef/owner of NYC's wildly popular Porchetta and co-author of Olives & Oranges,  which five pantry items she always has on hand. Tomorrow, May 13th, Sara Jenkins will be joining us in the Dining Room of the historic Beard House for Beard on Books, a monthly literary series featuring some of the food world's most celebrated authors. 1. Olive Oil “I could never live without olive oil—extra virgin, of course.” 2. Za’atar “I do everything with it. I put it on fish, chicken, even sprinkle it over thick yogurt with olive oil to use as a dip.” 3. Piment d’Espelette “This coarse-ground dried chile has some kick but isn’t too hot. I use it for everything from salads to roasted vegetables and braised meats.” 4. Dried Pasta “You can always make something with pasta. I look for artisanal pasta extruded from bronze dies and dried for several days for the best texture.” 5. Garlic “It’s a disaster if we don’t have garlic in the house. It’s like, ‘How are we going to eat?’” What are your must-have pantry staples? Can't make it to the Beard House tomorrow? Purchase Olives & Oranges today.