Why join Pree?
“I joined Pree because its mission and values resonate with me, particularly at this moment in my own life and given where the world is more broadly. More than ever, I don’t want to be a bystander in my own life. I want it to be juicy: full of meaning and authenticity, and shared with people I love. So much of my work life has been built around seeds. They’re small and unglamorous, but everything grows from them. Pree feels like that to me: a beginning, a place to lay foundations. What we build lasts only if the structure underneath is solid, and for me that structure is food, history, traditions, and the rituals I share with the people closest to me. Atara and Ariel have created a space for exactly that, and I’m delighted to be part of it from the start.”
- Rachel Simons, Seed + Mill. Subscribe here.
Ariel Pasternak here – I honestly can’t believe I’m writing this introduction to our first edition of The Pantry on Pree. When we let go of Pineapple 3+ years ago, I thought I was saying goodbye to the food world and would never venerate another pantry again. But here we are, 3.5 years later and I am so excited to share my kitchen in Venice, California! It truly feels like a full circle moment–we initially launched The Pantry back in 2017 with a tour of my kitchen in Washington, DC. I vividly remember creating that content with Atara with so much excitement. I felt like there wasn’t a central place online or in print where I could consistently peek into the pantries of people I admired and I was craving that special behind-the-scenes experience. Anytime I go to anyone’s house, one of my favorite things to do is peek into their fridge, pantry and cupboards for all of their go-to products and beloved items – from inherited antiques to the trendiest tinned fish. Without being too dramatic, seeing into someone’s pantry is like seeing into someone’s soul. So without further ado, here’s my pantry, a true expression of my soul.
-Ariel Pasternak, co-founder of Pree
Okay, getting right into it:
My favorite pantry products: Besides the now discontinued Pineapple Collaborative pantry products—The Olive Oil, The Apple Cider Vinegar and The Salt, I adore Spring & Mulberry date-sweetened chocolate, Ella’s Flats (the yummiest seeded crackers), Ghia Ginger spritz and all Leaves & Flowers tea. Oh and Daphnis & Chloe smoked chili flakes! And California DATES!
My 5 favorite tools / accessories:
1. A lemon squeezer! Not just for my morning lemon water, but also for squeezing on all of my salads and main dishes
2. My chef’s knife from Coltellerie Berti - handmade knives since 1895 by skilled Italian artisans
3. My great grandmother’s European tea cups
4. My Japanese mandolin
5. Hand-painted plates from Paris
Tell us about how you live your life with food as the centerpiece
My life has always revolved around food – in my family when my mother asked me about my day, I would often tell her what I ate. I am Jewish and food is a centerpiece of Jewish culture in general, and especially in my family’s lineage. My great grandmothers, grandmothers, aunts and my mother have all taught me that love and nourishment come through food. Celebrating Shabbat every Friday and Jewish holidays by cooking beautiful food and gathering my friends is honestly what I live for. And having the privilege to source my food from the farmers market and boutique grocery stores and artisans truly makes my heart sing – I live for beautiful fruits and vegetables. There’s nothing that makes me happier than seeing gorgeous produce in beautiful bowls on my counter and in my fridge.
What’s your favorite place to shop?
I feel so lucky to be able to shop at the glorious farmers markets in LA and wherever I am in the world. There’s nothing like the quality of fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, dairy, eggs, bread and more that come straight from a farm. The life-force energy simply radiates and is conveyed in the color and flavor. Shoutout to the Santa Monica Farmer’s Market in Los Angeles and also the Dupont Circle Farmers Market in Washington, DC.
How do you balance cost, quality and origin (ie something from the farmers market or Costco)?
The biggest way I balance cost is having a zero waste kitchen – I use everything I buy! And I honestly don’t keep an overly stocked pantry or fridge (other than my tea shelf). I also do enjoy an occasional shop at Trader Joe’s. The way they market produce is so artful & fun and you honestly can’t beat the prices (especially as a single person who doesn’t have room for Costco-sized items!)
Describe your cooking style; are you cooking breakfast, lunch & dinner daily? Batch cooking for the week? Only cooking for guests?
I recognized a few years ago that one of my priorities in life–i.e. a life well-lived for me– is cooking for myself and loved ones daily. I love making a blessed fruit plate in the AM along with some scrambled eggs with vegetables and herbs. And then for lunch or dinner I love making something with all my gorgeous farmers market vegetables–usually a combination of a raw salad and a cooked dish. One of my highest joys is cooking for guests, and I adore hosting potlucks for any occasion.
Is there an era, place or person whose kitchen you were trying to recreate when you set up your own?
I’m really inspired by Julie Ann Marr’s Puglia kitchen in the sense that she displays her all her hand-picked antique and contemporary bowls, vases and platters plus herbs, artichoke stems, zucchini flowers, eggs and other seasonal fare as if it’s on a sacred altar.
How would you describe your kitchen aesthetic in 5 words and does it match the rest of your home?
Seasonal, artisanal, natural, antique and beautiful! I’d say it matches the rest of my home for sure. I like old and new, the colors of nature and abundance across every room of my home. I like to feel like I’m living in the warmth.
Is there a cookbook or recipe that shifted how you think about food?
Amy Chaplin’s “At Home in the Whole Food Kitchen” is hands down my favorite cookbook of all time. I can’t remember exactly how I found it, though I was a big fan of Angelica’s Kitchen where she had been the chef for a long time, but it came into my life over ten years ago and has absolutely shaped the way I cook – whole foods, seasonal produce and plant-forward menus. They’re all sumptuous, healthy and honestly so beautiful. I love the simplicity and creativity of every recipe from main dishes to dessert.
Who taught you the most about food and what was the lesson?
My ever-loving mother! I was lucky to be born in Marin County, California and she fed me the best of the best since I was a baby. I remember going to the farmers market together every weekend, and she took me around the world when traveling and we dined at the best restaurants, exposing me to new flavors, ingredients and cultures. Food = love in our household and that has clearly stayed with me ever since :)
Who would be at your dream dinner party?
I mean obviously my best friends and family, but in a fantasy world and not necessarily in any kind of order: Drake, Hilma af Klimt, Hildegard von Bingen, my deceased grandparents and great grandparents, Kris Jenner, Dua Lipa, Isabel Marant and Leah Penniman. A very eclectic bunch if I do say so myself.
Beyond my pantry, you can see that I love a cozy, warm vibe full of spiritual art and books. Everything from my grandmother’s hand-painted Hebrew watercolor to a local LA sculptor’s ‘body vase’.
BECOME A FOUNDING MEMBER
Starting November 8th, we’ll be moving much of our content behind a paywall. Become a paid subscriber or better yet, a founding member(!), to join in on all the fun. As a Founding Member, you’ll receive invites to our next city gatherings in New York, DC / Baltimore, Los Angeles and beyond! Plus get featured in our newsletter to 23k subscribers all over the world.
Founding Members receive:
EXCLUSIVE FEATURE: Opportunity for you & your work to be featured in our weekly newsletter
EVENTS: Invitations to exclusive virtual and in-person events
CO-CREATE CONTENT: Submit interview questions
Full access to every newsletter and issue of The Pantry
An exclusive community chat on Substack
The ability to comment on posts
The joy of knowing you supported our community-supported media from day one
Paid Subscribers receive:
Full access to every newsletter and issue of The Pantry
An exclusive community chat on Substack
The ability to comment on posts
The joy of knowing you supported our community-supported media from day one
