I was a really good cook for a seven year-old. I then lost all that ability during my teens. Then in my twenties, I remembered it is an art form, and got my MOJO back. I’ve slowly gotten more informed and experienced as time marched on. Which is to say, I’ve been educated and practiced what I’ve learned…like one must with any art form.
It is in the pursuit of education and spontaneity that I conceptualized this book (12yrs ago) I am desiring. It is on the subject of the pantry and spice rack.
And, yes, it is…“what do I put there?” …albeit much more specific.
As I became more educated and adventurous, I wanted to branch out further. I wanted to start creating dishes from outside my normal choices. I wanted to start traveling the world in my kitchen. Thing was, I had very little room for storage of both, but was optimistic that would change. I am also an artist at heart, and very much appreciate having more options available to use as building blocks of my art.
Here’s the idea.
A book (series?) with each chapter being created by a celebrity chef, from each important food country, representing its unique cuisine. They will provide a few dishes that best express the spices used in their cuisine, while discussing the nature and purpose of said spices, as well as, spice and taste combinations. They would also provide recipes for dishes that highlight other pantry items, that are also unique ingredients to their cuisine, and widely available…if possible.
At the end of the chapter they would provide a list of the most essential spices, for those who have tiny spaces. Then a medium sized group that also includes a list of dishes that are now brought into the mix, by adding the spices they did. Leading to the obvious, complete list, that encompasses all spices to have on hand, in their learned opinion. Followed by lists of similar design referencing the other pantry items that are widely available.
Because of the inherent beauty of food, spices, and lovingly prepared cuisine, (not to mention the egos of celebrity chefs) it would be heavy with proper photography. The cover would be bespoke for each country, with their chef on the cover holding the spices and unique ingredients of their land.
A website created in tandem with the book could be accessed through QR codes used in the chapters to link you to further recipes, information, videos, tutorials, etc., allowing each chef, and their teams, to really attempt to be complete and evolving.
Amazon… Jeff Bezos, if you hear me, it would be a good business model to create what I just stated, but include QR type codes that link you to all the ingredients on smile.amazon.com, and perhaps better still, also use it as the foundation to a meal delivery service. Each month you would highlight a chapter, providing ingredients and samples of the spices/items in 2-4 meals per week.
I don’t know if you guys have started a meal service, using your Fresh brand and the resources provided by recent acquisitions, but you should, and this should be its foundation.
This could be The Adventurer Plan…create categories on cuisine preferences, product availability, and skill level/courage. You would use samples of spices in the medium sized list, with coupon codes for a good discount on pantry sized versions. Better still, also offer one full size version of the spice or item for free, but that can only be done three times per year, but the choice can be retroactive.
Hidden videos available to those who are viewing using a Fire product…if you aren’t, they aren’t.
That’s it. Sort of evolved in the writing (Amazon, seriously, call me.) I think I am not the only one who would appreciate the resource.
If you know of an existing place (book, website, or meal delivery service ) that presents this information efficiently, let me know. I haven’t really looked for years. It just popped in my mind when I found my pantry lacking, again.
Mutemandeafcat
P.S. If you steal this idea, at least send me the product for free!
P.S.S. Previous P.S. does not constitute the gifting, selling, or trading of the idea, or any other rights associated with its formation and fixing on this blog. Etc.