10 things it was hard to go without.

Behold the power of flour. It gives life to tortillas; it makes it possible to break bread. Alas, most domestic wheat is grown out of state. Best-selling author Barbara Kingsolver, who spent a year eating locally, allowed her family to use grains (they baked their own bread) and oil from outside the area just to help them stay sane. Each family member also was allowed a luxury item; Dad chose coffee, the kids dried fruit and hot chocolate. Here’s what would top my luxury list – in order of what I missed most:

1. Tapatío  There’s only one Tapatío, and only one supplier of its ingredients – in Mexico.

2. Spices  This was Kingsolver’s “luxury” item(s). I get it – garlic is great, but a little curry or Italian herb can really lift a dish.

3. Flour tortillas  Quesadilla, I took you for granted. Burrito, come back to me.

4. Bread  At one point I might’ve swapped my passport for a good sourdough melt.

5. Rice  So versatile, so easy, so affordable, so long.

6. Beer  English Ales in Marina and microbrews to the north and south do delicious elixirs, but they get their barley and hops from far off.

7. Pepper jack  There are a few local cheeses, but no PJ.

8. Condiments  Making mayo from scratch and styling salad dressings without spices is a lot harder than advertised. And this amount of fruits and vegetables beg for a decent dip.

9. Bananas  Called the Humvee of food miles by some, the banana still holds a place in my heart.

10. Coffee and tea  Ranks at the top for most folks, for obvious reasons.