as a spice fiend, just black pepper and chili flakes don't cut it for me so I vote hot sauce of any variety (harissa, chili oil, tabasco, fancy small batch local hot sauce, the list goes on)
Walnuts - I use them in pesto (basil, kale, broccoli), toasted for salads and oatmeal, and in one of my favorite Mark Bittman recipes, curried tofu with soy sauce
Calabrian 🇮🇹 chili 🌶️ - I use the chilies themselves in anything that needs a heat 🔥 boost or calls for crushed pepper flakes, but the real treasure is the oil that they come in! 🤤
I like white miso. It's versatile and adds such amazing umami! But also yogurt seems like a staple that should make the cut.
as a spice fiend, just black pepper and chili flakes don't cut it for me so I vote hot sauce of any variety (harissa, chili oil, tabasco, fancy small batch local hot sauce, the list goes on)
chili crisp, it's a force multiplier for so many ingredients, basic foods
Smoked paprika. I live in a climate where grilling isn't always an option, so any way to sneak a little smokiness in is always welcome.
Sumac is my "something else" on nearly everything
Sprinkled on feta and baked is my love language.
either honey, as you mentioned yourself, OR maple syrup.
Fish Sauce! for “something else”
Shelf-stable umami boosters, like mushroom powder or dashi powder.
oh man, instant dashi, good idea
What about something like Marmite or Bovril?
I like anchovies in a lot of things; also harissa. And multiple mustards.
Walnuts - I use them in pesto (basil, kale, broccoli), toasted for salads and oatmeal, and in one of my favorite Mark Bittman recipes, curried tofu with soy sauce
There is no fresh fruit in this list. Some kind of berry would make a fantastic addition. Blueberries, chokecherries, strawberries?
Or dried fruit.. currants, raisins, dried apricots, dried cherries or cranberries.
Yes, dates are my dried fruit and source of sweetness on the list!
Mushrooms!
Olives or capers are a must!
Calabrian 🇮🇹 chili 🌶️ - I use the chilies themselves in anything that needs a heat 🔥 boost or calls for crushed pepper flakes, but the real treasure is the oil that they come in! 🤤
Korean sweet-potato noodles (or rice vermicelli) etc.
Flour.