Anything to add to my shopping list?

I live in the countryside Australia so pretty hard to find the "modernist" ingredients frequently used here.

Going to Melbourne today to pick up some ingredients, I would plan in next few weekends to do quite a bit of food experimentation and work through many chef steps recipes...wondering if there is any additional interesting ingredients I should also be picking up to experiment with...

What I have so far on my shopping list:

- Malic Acid

- Sodium Citrate

- Tapioca Maltodextrin

- Agar Agar

- Lecithin Powder

- Xanthan Gum Powder

- Gelatin Gold Leaf Sheets

- Sodium Hexametaphosphate

- Liquid Glucose

- Liquid Lecithin

- MSG

- Sodium Alginate

- Calcium Lactate

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Comments

Brandon_Byrd_40557

That's an excellent list, but while you're at it I'd go ahead and get some high and low acyl gellan gum, iota and kappa carrageenan, and some Methocel F50. Like most of the ingredients on your list, they're ones you probably won't use every day (or every month), but they last forever and aren't super expensive. If it's hard to get these ingredients in your area, go ahead and stock up! Also, if you forget something while you're in town on your shopping trip, ModernistPantry.com ships almost anywhere on earth.

Brandon_Byrd_40557

And maybe some citric acid and ascorbic acid (as an antioxidant) if you're already getting malic acid. Especially if you're into cocktails.

digitaldookiez

Be sure you're getting the correct tapioca maltodextrin. N-zorbit M is the type that "transforms" oils to powder, if that's what you're looking for. MSG and agar agar seems like it should be available in Australia considering the reasonable Asian population so it seems like that should maybe be last on your list assuming you have an Asian market around. I'd go with calcium lactate gluconate as well. Isomalt is fun to play with as well but you may have that readily available. Transglutaminase is neat stuff and Pectinex Ultra SP-L is awesome and shouldn't be left out. Locust bean gum, if you have room.

Brandon_Byrd_40557

Great suggestions! +1 on the Transglutaminase suggestion. Having Activa RM in your freezer gives you a lot of possibilities for weekend experimentation. Glue some bacon to something, or just glue something to itself, or finally make that chicken roulade that you've been wanting to make. Pectinex Ultra SPL is also very useful if you're into cocktails or other sorts of clarified liquids.