A well-stocked pantry is the key to culinary creativity, so inspire a cook with three months of premium essentials that will elevate everyday dishes and inspire new recipes. We hand selected our favorites from the world's top purveyors, who use traditional methods and artisanal care to produce oils, vinegars, seasonings and sauces that make every meal more delicious.
Six Months of Pantry Essentials includes (see More Info tab for details):
Month 1, Olio Santo Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
- In ancient times, olio santo (the "sacred oil" that represented the best of the olive harvest) was reserved for use in religious ceremonies. Today, the term identifies this award-winning extra-virgin olive oil from California's Napa Valley. Use it for everything from salad dressings and sauces to making your own flavor infusions.
Month 2, Maldon Sea Salt
- You can taste the difference between common table salt and this superb natural sea salt from England's Maldon Salt Crystal Company. Founded in 1882, Maldon still draws salt from seawater using traditional long-handled rakes, processing it with no artificial additives for flavor that's pure and clean, with no bitterness. The soft, flaky, pyramid-shaped crystals dissolve easily, making it the perfect finishing salt.
Month 3, VSOP Balsamic Vinegar
- Balsamic vinegars like this one are among the most prized of Italian elixirs, crafted from the pure wine must (unfermented grape juice) of white Trebbiano grapes, which is aged in wooden barrels according to time-honored techniques. From Modena, Italy, ours is made by slowly simmering the grapes in copper cauldrons, then combining the reduction with older balsamic vinegar to help speed acidification. The blend is transferred to oak barrels, which imbue the aged vinegar with rich aroma, flavor and color.
Month 4, Williams Sonoma Rub Library
- Exceptional flavor is at your fingertips with a dozen of our most popular spice rubs. From Potlatch to Chili Lime, Sweet Heat to Hickory Molasses, each one is a unique blend of spices and seasonings that enhance the natural flavors of meats, poultry, seafood and vegetables. Simply rub the seasonings onto food an hour before cooking, then grill, sauté or roast as usual.
Month 5, Semolina x Williams Sonoma Pasta, Strozzapreti
- We partnered with Semolina Artisanal Pasta in Pasadena, California, to bring you this restaurant-quality pasta. Crafted simply with 100% organic semolina and water, the strozzapreti is slow-dried for a slightly nutty, wheat-like flavor, and the elongated scrolls have a porous surface that helps capture your favorite pasta sauce.
Month 6, Williams Sonoma Pasta Sauce, Sicilian Sausage Ragu
- Our sauce is prepared just like it would be in a Sicilian kitchen, starting with plenty of sweet Italian sausage. Crafted for us by an Italian purveyor, the rich, aromatic ragu is slow simmered with San Marzano tomatoes, highlighted by fresh basil and a hint of red pepper.
