Pantry Raid: Shoushin chef Jackie Lin’s five essential kitchen supplies
We’re asking chefs to peer into their pantries and tell us their top shelf-stable essentials. Here are five staples that Shoushin’s Jackie Lin made sure to stock up on before we went into lockdown.
Japanese mayonnaise
What kind: Kewpie Mayo
Where he bought it: J-Town
What he does with it: “This product probably doesn’t need an introduction. Kewpie Mayo has a stronger egg yolk flavour than other mayonnaise, and it goes very well with bonito flakes on a burger. Yum!”
Shaved bonito flakes
What kind: Futaba Toku Katsuo
Where he bought it: J-Town
What he does with them: “Bonito flakes have a very distinctive smokiness to them, but they are a very versatile ingredient. You can put them in salads, you can use them in soup and you can even put them on a hamburger.”
Big brown eggs
What kind: Conestoga Farms Free-Run Omega-3 Eggs
Where he bought it: Longo’s
What he does with them: “These are the only eggs I eat. The yolk is very flavourful, but they don’t just taste better—they look better, too. I love to eat them soft boiled, or I’ll make eggs Benedict. I can’t eat any other eggs now.”
Shredded kelp
What kind: Umiya
Where he bought it: J-Town
What he does with it: “This is very finely shredded kelp. You can literally add some to hot water and have a bowl of soup in a minute. I love it.”
Chili oil
What kind: Bangkok Foods
Where he bought it: Bangkok Meat Balls Food Company
What he does with it: “This is the ultimate chili oil. It’s made with just oil, chili and garlic, but it boasts incredible aroma and it’s really spicy. Once you try this chili oil, you won’t settle for anything else.”
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Caroline Aksich, a National Magazine Award recipient, is an ex-Montrealer who writes about Toronto’s ever-evolving food scene, real estate and culture for Toronto Life, Fodor’s, Designlines, Canadian Business, Glory Media and Post City. Her work ranges from features on octopus-hunting in the Adriatic to celebrity profiles.
