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Earlier this week we talked with Elkey and Will Zandstra about “Breakfast Around the World”, the Sunday ritual that’s carried their family through 45 countries, and the bicultural table where Indonesian rice meets American cereal. You can revisit their interview right here.
Now we’re getting practical. From the one Indonesian condiment they think every kitchen should stock, to the cookbook Will calls a bible, to the grazing “dinner” that replaced dinner entirely, here are the staples, tools, and shortcuts that keep the Zandstra kitchen running.
Of all the countries you’ve cooked through, what’s an ingredient you didn’t grow up with that you now keep on hand?
Ghee. A hundred percent.
Three pantry or fridge staples you always have on hand?
Garlic, eggs, and flour. Eggs because it’s breakfast, and most people do eggs. And flour, because almost every country has some version of fried dough or a carb to start the day.
Elkey, even though Will does most of the cooking, is there one Indonesian ingredient, condiment, or sauce American kitchens should know about?
Elkey: Kecap manis, which is sweet soy sauce. And sambal, though sambal’s going to be tough for kids (it’s a spicy chili sauce).
Will, a kitchen tool you genuinely reach for all the time?
Will: My immersion blender. That’s my favorite. After that, a little whisk. Best hand tool there is.
One store-bought shortcut you don’t apologize for?
Bouillon or broth. And canned tomatoes, though honestly, we don’t even call canned tomatoes a shortcut. That’s just normal.
A snack you always have on hand to head off a meltdown?
Whole fruit or nuts. We always have apples and nuts around.
One cookbook or creator you turn to when you need a real recipe?
The Food Lab by Kenji López-Alt [Bookshop, Amazon], the giant white book, super thick. It’s a cooking bible. He breaks down the science and explains why things work. That’s why we think everyone should have it.
A kitchen splurge that was actually worth it?
A smart toaster oven. We don’t use a microwave in our house, so a good one is a solid investment. Steam, reheat, whatever you need, perfect.
A family dinner everyone eats, no negotiating?
Hear us out: we don’t really do dinner. We turned it into a grazing snack board. The kids wake up from their nap around 3:30 and graze until about 5 on carrots, fruit, cheese, crackers, and a vegetable juice, then go to bed at 7. We do the same. That’s dinner. We made the switch a while ago and haven’t looked back.
Will, a comfort meal you make when someone’s had a hard day?
Will: Pho. Or bubur, Indonesian rice porridge, which is our day-or-night staple. But if I had to pick one, it’s pho. It’s what I make after a birth.
Elkey: He’d make a batch ahead of time as a postpartum meal. For our last two kids, I had a bowl right after delivery while he held the baby.
