Give Your Pantry a Gourmet Makeover with These Upgraded Essentials

All courtesy of local artisans and importers.

upgraded pantry 1

Photograph by Toan Trinh

Kiff
Chocolate Chip Granola

Sudbury baker Mandy McKenzie named her mix of oats, coconut, sunflower seeds, nuts, and chocolate after the slang word for “awesome” in her native South Africa.

$13, Siena Farms Boston Public Market.

upgraded pantry 2

Courtesy Photo

Lyndigo Spice
Fennel & Fig Chutney

By night, Celeste Croxton-Tate works as a police officer. By day, she whips up relishes and chutneys—including this fennel, onion, fig, and currant version—in Dorchester’s Commonwealth Kitchen.

$10, Whole Foods South End.

upgraded pantry 3

Photograph by Toan Trinh

Cask Force
Single-Malt Barrel-Aged vermont Maple Syrup

Southie entrepreneur Nick O’Connell ages Vermont syrup in whiskey barrels for five weeks to create this butterscotch-y pancake topper.

$20, the Urban Grape.

upgraded pantry 4

Courtesy Photo

Kiklos
Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

Brought stateside by a Holliston-based importer, this single-varietal Koroneiki olive oil from Greece’s Peloponnese region has a mild taste up front, but finishes with a peppery bite ideal for salads.

$30, American Provisions.

upgraded pantry 5

Photograph by Toan Trinh

Curio Spice Co.
Chef’s Pack

Add global flair to your recipes with Claire Cheney’s meticulously sourced spice set, featuring blends like the “Kozani,” with saffron and lemon verbena, and the “Supeq,” with dulse, sea salt, and shiitake.

$55, Curio Spice Co.