Opening My Mediterranean Pantry

When someone opens my pantry for the first time, they're usually surprised.

They expect to find dozens of spices and exotic seasonings.

Instead, they find something much simpler.

A few jars, a few pouches and some carefully selected herbs.

Nothing extravagant. Nothing complicated.

Just the ingredients that have quietly accompanied Mediterranean cooking for centuries.

Friends often ask me,

"Which herb should I buy first?"

I wish there were a perfect answer.

But there isn't.

Every kitchen is different.

Every family cooks differently.

Every cook develops favourite herbs over time.

If you had asked my grandmother, she would probably have given you one answer.

If you had asked my mother, she might have given you another.

If you ask me today...

I'd probably say rosemary.

Tomorrow I might answer basil.

That's the beauty of herbs.

There are no strict rules.

"The core Mediterranean herbs are generally the same—basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley and a few others—but every region, every family and every cook adds their own favourites.

Some pantries include bay leaves.

Others always have thyme, sage, mint, fennel, dill, tarragon, chives, lavender or savory.

That's what makes Mediterranean cooking so interesting.

No two kitchens are exactly alike.

If I had to choose just one herb to keep in my kitchen, rosemary would be very difficult to live without.

On Roasted potatoes, on Chicken. rubbed on Lamb. on Vegetables, on Fresh bread. Even a simple drizzle of olive oil becomes more interesting when rosemary joins the conversation.

Then there is basil.

To me, basil smells like summer, on Fresh tomatoes, on bowl of pasta, ..A quiet lunch outdoors.

I like oregano very much.

Good oregano is one of the great herbs of Mediterranean cooking.

Unfortunately, the food industry has used oregano so often in commercial herb blends that many people have forgotten how high-quality oregano can really be. It immediately fills the room, then you realise what you've been missing.

The same can be said for parsley.

Parsley is often treated as nothing more than a garnish.

Fresh parsley brings freshness to soups, vegetables, seafood, pasta and countless everyday dishes.

It deserves much more respect than it usually receives.

What i like about Mediterranean cooking is that no one ineeds to follow strict rules.

Some families cook with more thyme.

Others love sage.

Some couldn't imagine making a tomato sauce without bay leaves. I can't imagine making one without basil.

Others would never prepare roasted vegetables without rosemary and none of them are wrong!

This is how traditions survive, each of us adds a little of its own personality.

The proven rules:

I never measure herbs.

A little of this, a pinch of that.

Taste, Adjust then taste again.

Cooking should be enjoyable. It should make us happy. It should never become tedious or stressful.

Trust our senses. They are often better guides than measuring spoons.

As I write these articles, I'm not trying to convince you that one herb is better than another.I'm simply sharing the herbs that have been part of my own memories, my travels and my time in Italy.

Perhaps your memories are completely different.Perhaps your grandmother always cooked with sage.

Perhaps your father loved oregano.

Perhaps basil reminds you of your first visit to Italy.

I'd genuinely love to hear those stories.

That's what makes cooking so special.

Recipes may be written on paper.

Food memories are written somewhere much deeper.

Over the coming weeks we'll open each jar in the pantry together.

We'll discover where these herbs come from.

We'll learn a little history.

We'll talk about the regions where they grow.

And, of course, we'll share simple ways to enjoy them at home.

No complicated recipes.

No difficult techniques.

Just honest conversations about good food.

Before you leave, I'd like to ask you one question.

If you could keep only one Mediterranean herb in your kitchen...Which one would it be?

And why?

Leave a comment below.

I'd really enjoy reading your answer.

Your story, your memories—or even your favourite family recipe—may inspire one of our future conversations here in The Herb Kitchen.

Until next time,

— Italo