A Pantry Worth a Peek

Note: This was originally part of the Pineapple Collaborative's Pantry series. The original version can be seen here

Ariane Valle is the co-founder of Vegetable and Butcher, a DC based, plant-inspired & healthful meal delivery service. Ariane’s relationship with food goes beyond the table to a place where food lives again. Her passion for sustainability begins and ends on the farm, where soil serves as the bedrock of our food system.

her style

  • "The story of me and my partner Turner is my favorite love story, probably my favorite food story, too.  I am just as passionate about what is on my plate as I am about what is in my heart.  I have a strong bond with what I eat and when I sit down for a meal, I make a choice that is a reflection of who I am as an individual and as a contributor in a consumer-driven economy.  My kitchen is not sophisticated, but it is enough. Everything has a story, and each item fills its space with a tender and humble energy. When I think about it, the basic and eclectic contents of my cupboards model the minimalism and contentment I am seeking in all aspects my life.
  • While I recognize that the world’s fundamental environmental conditions cannot be alleviated simply by recycling and turning off the water, I do believe that small behavioral changes made today can lead to greater and more impactful changes in the future.  
  • I am not a chef and don’t even play one on the internet, which makes our kitchen less inspiring than most (unless simplicity is what you’re after). We love coffee in its purest form – coarse ground and French pressed – keep only enough utensils for two and only stock items that bring us joy, such as plants (lots of plants!).

markets & shopping

  • Well, we do own a food business, so our fridge is stocked with V+B. My partner Turner and I both subscribe to 6 days of breakfast, lunch and dinner (mine being vegan and his not vegan).  We have one “celebration day” each week, Saturday, where we either eat out or cook a meal together. We start with a vegan base and add a sustainably-sourced protein for Turner.

fridge must-haves

  • V+B of course! Before starting Vegetable and Butcher, our Sundays were packed with Farmer’s Market (go FRESHFARM!), meal prepping and too many dishes. I can’t tell you how many hours it took to soak nuts and peel sweet potatoes, but I can tell you, I can’t live without prepared meals anymore.
  • Ferments! We heart Number 1 Sons, from their tasty fermented beets to their kombucha.  I literally pull the jar out of my fridge and snack on it like you would ice cream.

pantry staples

  • Hu chocolate
  • Buddha Bowl popcorn
  • MOM’S Organic coffee (go compostable packaging!)
  • my vitamins
  • hot sauce
  • coconut oil
  • a very well-organized spice rack
  • perhaps my favorite all, my handy Stasher reusable storage bags.

tools

  • Our French press is probably the most important and luxurious tool in our kitchen.  It’s coffee in the purest form and one of the most environmentally-friendly coffee makers.
  • Salt & Sundry coffee mugs. I love the size and shape of the mugs, but most importantly, I love the prints. We have four, but two are home to plants 😊
  • Our Bose speaker.  I am not a singer, by any means, but I love to sing along to a good country tune.  This little speaker has lived with us for over 4 years and has given us tons of great memories.

cookbooks

  • We own very few cookbooks, but we do love a good health book, from Grain Brain to Inheritance to Cooked. Understanding the impact of food on both the environmental level and health level helps us make better choices and feel our best.

To Sum It Up:

  • pantry item she can’t live without: Hot sauce (I love spicy foods) and coffee
  • one or two items that are always in the fridge: V+B meals (especially breakfast)
  • her go-to inspiration cookbook: Does Pinterest count?
  • most trusted kitchen tool: french press
  • 5 adjectives that describe her pantry style: Minimal, clean, sustainable, spicy and in alphabetical order
  • her all-time favorite market: MOM’s Organic Market. They accept compost!
  • food products she pines for: Goûter: I’m not a big juice fan because they tend to be high in sugar, but I do love Goûter and the company’s founder, V (now a part of the V+B family)!, Buddhabowl Popcorn: “Celebration day” isn’t complete without a bag of this amazing sweet + salty (vegan) popcorn, MOM’s Organic Peru Coffee: A light to medium roast bean that gives me super powers
  • women she pines for: Though I love my partner, I’m inspired by all of the women who make V+B possible, from our community manager and yogi enthusiast, Haley Fulford, to our amazing chef and dressing connoisseur, Christina Brown, to Emily Smith, who surfs the web and the waves and to our RD, Sarah Waybright, who’s knowledge of all things food never ceases to amaze me. Rock climbing queen, Sasha Deguilian.  I have been climbing for a few years now, and when I saw this dainty chic climbing 5.14s, I knew that I had to push myself even further. Yael Aflalo, the woman behind Reformation, my favorite sustainable clothing line.

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