Pantry Foods

True San Marzano tomatoes are a protected (DOP) variety grown in the Sarno valley near Naples, Italy, and carry the DOP seal and certification number on the can. San Marzano-style tomatoes are the same plum shape and flavour profile but are grown elsewhere or without the DOP certification, so they cost less. Both are prized for pizza and pasta sauce because they are meaty, with fewer seeds and lower acidity than round tomatoes.

A #10 can is the standard food service can size, holding about 2.8 to 3 L (roughly 100 to 110 fl oz), or about 2.7 to 3 kg depending on the product. Tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and sauces are commonly sold in #10 cans, six per case. One #10 can holds roughly the same as five to seven 540 mL retail cans, and once opened the contents should be moved to a covered, labelled container and refrigerated.

Castelvetrano olives are a bright green Sicilian olive from the Nocellara del Belice variety, named after the town of Castelvetrano. They are cured to stay mild, buttery and only lightly salty, which makes them popular on cheese boards, in antipasto and for guests who find other olives too bitter. Their vivid green colour holds well on a platter.

Shio koji is a Japanese seasoning made from rice koji (rice inoculated with the Aspergillus oryzae mould), salt and water. Its enzymes tenderize protein and add a savoury, umami depth. A common use is as a marinade at about 10 percent of the food’s weight for a few hours or overnight, or as a salt replacement in dressings and sauces. Opened shio koji is kept refrigerated.

White (shiro) miso is fermented for a shorter time with more rice koji, so it is mild, sweet and light in colour, good for dressings, soups and glazes. Red (aka) miso is fermented longer, often with more soybeans, giving a darker colour and a stronger, saltier flavour for hearty soups and braises. Miso keeps for months refrigerated. Add it to soups at the end of cooking without boiling, to keep its aroma.

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