Julie Cross: What’s in your pantry? Support Local Journalism Shares It’s been a year since everyone did that frantic lockdown shop, so it’s probably time for a pantry refresh. I polled some of my food-loving friends for the best ingredients in their house right now, since I’d like some variety as well! I’ll explore some of the new ones (avocado-cilantro hot sauce?) and report back, but in the meantime, here are some thoughts on staple items old and new, and what you might do with them. Canned Tomatoes: Pre-pandemic, I was a fan of Muir Glen, which could not be got for love nor money for months. Instead, we bought Simpson brand and now will eat no other. Confusingly, they come in a white labeled can with a design of San Marzano tomatoes marked “SM”, but are grown and packaged in the U.S. They taste of summer and are perfect for pizza sauce or Chili Mac.