Preparation Satisfaction

The Pantry.  A refuge for foodstuffs.  A hideaway for ingredients of creation.  A temporary hibernation of a library of tasteful delights.  I am so lucky to have a walk-in closet for a pantry, okay, REALLY lucky because I have two of them in my kitchen.  One houses food, the other cookware and small appliances.  I am jaded, very jaded, in fact, because whenever I have looked around town for a new abode I can't seem to find a kitchen housing this opportunity for my food storage.  Sure there are over the counter cabinets, which I am not a fan, which simply hide food giving the popular kids front row.  I want to shop in my kitchen and have what I want/need at my fingertips.  Much like a grocery store experience, easy to shop, easy to grab and easy to stimulate my taste buds when I am in a quandary of what to cook or bake.  Its no secret that I am the sucker who walks into the market and is overwhelmed by the "great savings" end caps on the aisles or at the entrance.  Who buys that stuff: ME.  And, without regret.  I hurry home with my bags overstuffed anticipating the contents placement on my pantry shelves.  Sometimes it requires a rearrange to give the food its proper place, but its well worth the puzzle once I get it all to fit.  Now, my pantry is organized.  It may not seem it from the pictures, but it is.  It goes something like this:  Bottom shelves house small serve-ware (appetizer dishes, pot de creme cups, souffle dishes, etc ), Left side middle shelves are about baking goods and Right side middle shelves are cooking goods.  Top shelves get pastas, rice, oatmeal - grains if you will.  The pantry floor gets wine, liquor and paper products.  I have found people in my pantry during dinner parties, mainly to get away for a secret and often times to binge on opened sacks of chocolate chips, candied fruit or the occasional cookie and homemade marshmallow.  I ask myself this question whenever I enter this colorful hideaway; "What would my dream pantry look like?".  Admittedly that changes with my needs at the time, but to sum it up:  I would like it as large as it could be.  With prep tables, a trough sink, wine storage, dinnerware storage and, of course, plenty of stainless shelving for the foodstuffs.  Viola, the perfect pantry.  Prepared for the ultimate in cooking and baking satisfaction.