So what does a foodie keep in their pantry anyway?

A great book has just been published called Inside Chefs’ Fridges, which reveals what top international chefs keep in their fridge. A fridge is the window to the soul you know. I’ve always believed this, in fact my retro black Smeg fridge is the most beloved (and expensive) item in my home. Inside is a mix of fresh ingredients and panoply of condiments and sauces, but no pickled marigold flowers or frozen flies which is what turned up in some of the chef’s fridges.

But to me the real action is in the pantry. A quick stocktake of my pantry reveals a strange mix of ingredients from near and far, with bits and bobs from Greece, Croatia, France, Sweden, Finland, Mexico, Canada and Japan.

My love affair with cloudberries is no secret. I would probably devour a jar a week if this prized ingredient wasn’t so rare and expensive. My stocks are low at the moment and this beauty came from my colleague Sally who was in Sweden recently. I’m holding onto it for dear life until I can stock up again. The stuff in the packet is fruit soup from Sweden. My Swedish friend Johan introduced me to the whole concept of sweet soups through his love of blackberry soup and I had to have the supermarket version, in apple and cinnamon flavour.

I have an entire cupboard of sweet-related bits and bobs but these are some of my favourites. The chocolate coated popping candy is from the UK and is yet to pop up in Heston’s range in Australia. The lavender sugar balls were gifted by my beautiful French friend Agathe who instinctively buys anything purple and edible she sees, just for me. I’ve waxed lyrical about the marzipan carrots before, they are one of my ultimate supermarket finds and look awesome atop any carrot cake number.

I came back with a backpack of food when I went to Mexico – there were just too many tempting treats! My favourite discovery was Miguelito – this stuff is sensational. Part sugar, part salt and a whole lot of chilli, I love it on the rim of cocktails or to dip fruit in. The Mexicans eat it straight from the packet. The chile y limon mix is great for dusting on vegies or anything needing a kick. Read More