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Chicken broth, orzo and arctic char: whose fridge is this?

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July 2, 2026 · 1:34 PM
Chicken broth, orzo and arctic char: whose fridge is this?

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Alison Roman's fridge. Brooklyn. Photograph: Nico Schinco/The Guardian

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Alison Roman's fridge. Brooklyn. Photograph: Nico Schinco/The Guardian

Summer food 2026Food

Interview

Chicken broth, orzo and arctic char: whose fridge is this?

As told to Anna Berrill

There is evidence of order, good prep and a sense of fun in American food writer Alison Roman’s fridge

Thu 2 Jul 2026 05.00 EDT

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Fillet of arctic charI got this at the fish market yesterday to cook for my son, Charlie. I dress it with a little soy sauce and lemon juice – he loves it (including the crispy skin).

Kimchi

Always in my fridge for snacking, eating with steak or rice, and adding to soups or stews. I have a great recipe for tomato-kimchi soup with rice in Something from Nothing, which is reason enough to keep it on hand. I explore different varieties, but tend to just love the classic napa cabbage variety. I always drink the liquid after and save the jar as a leftovers container – the gift that keeps on giving!

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Eggs

We go through a lot of eggs in this house: mostly sunny-side up, or turned into a thick, sliceable omelette with kale and rice. Charlie eats at least two a day. We get them from the farmers’ market every Sunday.

Frozen chicken broth, defrostingIf I don’t have chicken broth in the fridge, I have some in the freezer. I make a lot of chicken broth, either from the leftovers of a roast chicken, a cut up whole bird, the saved backs from a spatchcocked chicken. No matter how I get there, I take my chicken broth seriously. And since this is the good stuff, I use it for drinking straight with spring onion and lemon juice, or as a shortcut to a classic chicken noodle soup.

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Cooked orzoI recently left town for a few days on a work trip and was worried my family would not know what to do without me, so in a panic I cooked an entire box of orzo to keep in the fridge. It can be sauteed in butter with some greens or broccoli, tossed in leftover roast chicken juices, added to broth for soup. A small step towards a meal counts when I’m away.

Unsweetened cranberry juiceWhen I was pregnant, I became addicted to “my special beverage”, which was a large glass jar filled with ice then topped with one part unsweetened cranberry juice to four parts sparkling water, and half a lemon. My son is 15 months old now and I still drink this every day.

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Tomato pasteI like to use the whole can of tomato paste when I can (see: my shallot pasta recipe), but for a dab here and there, I always have an opened tube in the fridge.

AnchoviesI have anchovies in the pantry, anchovies in the fridge (from opened jars). People ask how to store them after the jar or container is open and I tell them: in the fridge, and make sure you cover them with oil.

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Alison Roman at home in Brooklyn.

Creme fraicheSomeone brought it over for a dinner party the other night to top their crispy chocolate cake, but we forgot to use it so it’s still in the fridge. I should use it!

Iced coffeeMy husband is addicted to iced coffee, but he doesn’t like cold brew. He (genuinely) prefers coffee that has been brewed hot and then chilled, so we always have a large container for him at the ready. He goes through so much.

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