My Cupboard

Dried herbs and spices. I don’t like to keep a lot because they don’t retain their freshness for long. A jar of mixed herbs is perhaps the only essential dried herb, while cayenne pepper and paprika are the two spices I rely on. Green peppercorns are a useful standby, especially for steak, and I like to have a whole nutmeg for grating into puddings or sauces.

Dried pasta. You can use any shape with any sauce, so buy whatever you like.