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Back in 2021, we at Epicurious got really into this idea of a flavor station—one spot, near the stove where you keep all your most-used ingredients, like salts, oils, and vinegars. Goodbye, having to turn the stove down because you need to find that one seasoning you forgot. Hello, optimal kitchen performance.
In our original 2021 story we recommended a few staples and products you might want to put in your flavor station—different seasonings and other condiments that are pretty standard. But we wanted to offer some additional inspiration. Whether it’s a twist on the always necessary salt and pepper or a cheat to amp up the brightness of any dish, here’s what Epicurious staff members always need to have on hand when cooking.
Emily Johnson, associate commerce director
I have a salt cellar that has two compartments, which is crucial because I’m always cooking with multiple kinds of salts. I fill one side with Diamond Crystal kosher salt and the other with flaky salt, so I can season as I cook but also finish with salt that adds texture.
Maggie Hoffman, digital director
I try (and fail, and try again) to keep my counters as clear as possible, but there are a few items I always leave out. Most important: kosher salt in a small jar, with a spoon that I replace frequently. I also keep a jar of Jacobsen’s black garlic salt close at hand to add a little umami bump to whatever needs it.
I keep two pepper mills on my counter as well: fresh black pepper from Diaspora Co., as well as a second mill (they’re color-coded) with white pepper from Burlap & Barrel. If it’s not in a mill, I’m never going to use it, but now that I have easy access to it on my counter, I grind a little on all sorts of things—eggs and noodles especially.
Megan Wahn, associate commerce editor
I tend to keep things pretty simple, and the item I’m always reaching for is olive oil. I like a budget-friendly, no frills bottle of Pompeian Robust Extra-Virgin Olive Oil that, importantly, is always available whenever I need to run to the store to replenish it.
Now, I don’t always cook with this. But I do use tomato paste enough—namely in pasta dishes—that I almost always need to have a can of it somewhere in my house. Personally I prefer the thickness and intense flavor of tomato paste, so I almost always opt for it if a recipe calls for tomato sauce. It’s got a pretty long shelf life, so I don’t need to worry about using it immediately (but, more often than not, I put it to use pretty quickly).
Noah Kaufman, reviews editor
White and red. A tablespoon or two blended into a sauce or into scrambled eggs (my favorite) gives them a richness and umami flavor I just love. Seriously, if you aren’t doing a soft scrambled egg with miso, stop what you are doing and go turn on the stove.
I’m not a big fan of the kind of balsamic vinegar common on most grocery store shelves, but sherry vinegar has a little bit of sweet in it that some people look to balsamic for without being cloying—it’s a great add to salad dressings and sauces
You will almost never need so much red or white wine for a recipe to go through a bottle, so you need something inexpensive enough that you don’t feel bad putting a cup of it in a pot, but good enough that you want to drink the rest of it afterward. Most nice wine shops know exactly what you’re talking about if you ask for this.
Joe Sevier, cooking editor
I assume everyone reading this has a stash of salt and sugar on deck. But I submit that you also need MSG and citric acid easily at hand. Just as salt brings concentrated salinity to a dish and sugar sweetness, MSG is my go-to to give dishes a savory punch. It works wonders in a soup or stew—especially when cooking vegetarian—to make the dish taste more satisfying.
Citric acid is my go-to for concentrated sourness. Think of it as lemon juice, without the liquid. I always add a dash to powdered sugar icing to bring extra brightness to, say, a lemon pound cake—and sprinkle in a small amount to lift up any dish to which I don’t want to add more liquid.
Emily Farris
There are plenty of great chili crisps on the market, but I’ve been devouring this particular Mexican-style brand for nearly a decade. I go through so much of it and talk about it so often, friends now bring it as a gift when they come to visit. I put it on eggs, on meat, in tuna salad (and sometimes salad-salads), in and on quesadillas, in pasta dishes, and I’d be lying if I said I’d never eaten spoonfuls straight from the jar.
A few years ago, they also released a cooking oil, which I use whenever the crunch part isn’t appropriate.
Since discovering Brightland’s lemon-infused olive oil, my husband and I can’t get enough of it—which is kind of dangerous, considering the price per ounce. It’s worth every penny because it basically has a culinary Midas touch. I’m honestly having a hard time thinking of any dish it wouldn’t enhance.
Last but not least is my little Midwestern guilty pleasure: onion powder. Whenever I’m making a savory dish or sauce (so 99.9% of the time I’m cooking) and I feel like it's missing something, the answer is almost always a little (or big) dash of onion powder.
