Pantry

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Some people can often confuse a cupboard under the stairs for a pantry, however these spaces are more commonly used as places to store shoes and jigsaws, not essentially a pantry.

In a late medieval hall, there were separate rooms for the various service functions and food storage. A pantry was where bread was kept and food preparation associated with it done. There were similar rooms for storage of bacon and other meats (larder), alcoholic beverages (buttery), and cooking (kitchen). The pantry is still used for many functions, especially food storage.

The derivation of the word is from the same source as the Old French term paneterie; that is from pain, the French form of the Latin panis. (See Folk etymology.)