Flours: Bob’s Red Mill is a local (Oregon) company, available nationwide or online.King Arthur is another brand I like quite a bit. King Arthur is available nationwide at many supermarkets, on-line and at Trader Joe’s.
100% Stone Ground Organic Whole Wheat Flour – Bob’s Red Mill
100% Stone Ground Organic White Whole Wheat Flour – Bob’s Red Mill
Organic Unbromated Unbleached White Flour – Bob’s Red Mill
Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – Bob’s Red Mill
Potato Flour – Bob’s Red Mill
Semolina Flour – Bob’s Red Mill
Flax Seed/Flax Seed Meal – Bob’s Red Mill
Sweeteners:
Sugar: I don’t use much sugar, but I certainly have a large assortment! For granulated, brown & powdered sugars I mostly use Hain or Woodstock Farms, but even C&H now offers organic granulated sugar. Organic sugars are made from evaporated sugar cane and is a bit coarser than conventional sugar. Substitute it measure-for-measure.
Honey: We have many local beekeepers, so it is easy to find great honey in Oregon. I have bought organic honey, but always wonder, “How do they know where the bees go?” Can honey ever really be organic?
Other sweeteners: In baking, I often use Aunt Patty’s Barley Malt Syrup and Sweet Unsulphured Molasses from Eugene, Oregon. Agave syrup (made from the agave cactus) is good to use on fruits (and in margaritas).
Maple Syrup: It is harder and harder to find maple syrup from the USA – but I insist.
Leaveners/Baking supplies
Baking Powder: I always use Rumford non-aluminum baking powder. Trust me, you don’t want aluminum in your baked goods. Rumford is made by Clabber Girl.
Baking Soda: Arm & Hammer for baking and household cleaning!
Raisins: I love Newman’s Own Organic California Raisins. Plump and sweet – plus all proceeds go to charity!
Dried Cranberries: Cranberry Sweets
Pecans: Stahmann’s (New Mexico) The best pecans in the world.
Salt: Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt and assorted other sea salts
Spices: I use Spice Hunter, Simply Organic, Morton & Bassett and Spice Islands. I keep my spices in a very cool test tube holder from the Tubular Spice Company. I also keep one of their test tube spice racks in our motor home kitchen.
Herbs: in the summer they come from my container garden, the rest of the time they usually come fromSnoqualmie River Ranch in Washington State (pronounced Snow-QUALL-mee).
Vanilla: I really love Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract from Nielsen-Massey, but I sometimes use Simply Organic Vanilla Extract.
Dairy
I feel spending the extra money for organic dairy products is very worthwhile. These products are highly concentrated and you don’t want your kids ingesting yucky chemicals or hormones!
Milk – Organic Valley, or any sustainable local dairy Buttermilk – Organic Valley, or any sustainable local dairy Heavy Cream – Organic Valley, or any sustainable local dairy
Butter – I use several organic brands, but Tillamook (Oregon) is also always in the fridge.
Eggs: When a recipe on this site requires an egg, use a large Grade A. I use any brand that is organic/cage-free/hormone-free/whatever… and a lady down the road sells fresh eggs most days too.
