Herbs & Spices - how to store and where to buy

[Anonymous]

All my life I've just purchased whatever was on the shelf, usually a McCormick product that ends up sitting in my cabinet for years. Heck I probably have Oregano from 10 years ago still in there!

I want to get into the habit of using fresh, good quality herbs and spices. Where do you purchase yours from? Brand? how do you store them? what is a reasonable shelf life?

[Anonymous]

Many people seem to like Penzey’s. I also like Spice House, Burlap and Barrel and Diaspora.
I always buy small quantities so they stay fresh. They are stored in a cabinet away from the stove.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Many people seem to like Penzey’s. I also like Spice House, Burlap and Barrel and Diaspora.
I always buy small quantities so they stay fresh. They are stored in a cabinet away from the stove.

Thank you PP. I'll google now

[Anonymous]

I buy whole spices at the Indian store and grind in small quantities myself. Store them all in the basement fridge. They haven't gone off on me yet but I do use a lot of spices.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I buy whole spices at the Indian store and grind in small quantities myself. Store them all in the basement fridge. They haven't gone off on me yet but I do use a lot of spices.

Oh that is a really great idea! I should also probably invest in a grinder. heck I grind my coffee every morning, why not my spices!

[Anonymous]

Zamouri Spices if you're looking for traditional Middle Eastern spices

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy whole spices at the Indian store and grind in small quantities myself. Store them all in the basement fridge. They haven't gone off on me yet but I do use a lot of spices.

Oh that is a really great idea! I should also probably invest in a grinder. heck I grind my coffee every morning, why not my spices!

You will want separate grinders. And I love this post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy whole spices at the Indian store and grind in small quantities myself. Store them all in the basement fridge. They haven't gone off on me yet but I do use a lot of spices.

Oh that is a really great idea! I should also probably invest in a grinder. heck I grind my coffee every morning, why not my spices!

You will want separate grinders. And I love this post.

+1 - definitely get a separate grinder for your spices. I found this out the hard way, ending up with chili-powder-tasting coffee one morning. Even if you rinse out the blades really well, it's impossible to get the spices essence totally free from the machine.

I get spices at H-Mart and Lotte, where the prices tend to be better. Sadaf and Lisy are good brands. I like Penzey's for spice mixes.

[Anonymous]

Penzeys

[Anonymous]

Keeping the spices in tightly sealed, non-porous containers is the best way. Glass jars with tight-fitting lids are perfect if you plan to store your spices in a cupboard. Exposure to heat, humidity, air, and sunlight breaks down the essential oils that give spices their flavours and aromas. Make sure not to dip the same spoon in every spice bottle.
You can buy the herbs and spices separately. Grinding them on your own will help enrich the flavours. Keep them immediately in bottles after grinding. A custom spice blend is better for personal flavours. http://helaspice.com/na/services/custom-blending. You can try your custom version to find the one that suits you the most.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Penzeys

Penzeys if liberal, Spice House if conservative. Basically same blends, since they are run by siblings.

[Anonymous]

For herbs like cilantro, trim the stems, put them in a glass of water, and refrigerate. For scallions, put them in a glass of water, in moderate sunlight and they will continue to grow.

I like Penney’s, but also get spices and spice mixes at ethnic grocery stores. And Old Bay. Always: Old Bay.
The Spice Suite is worth a trip.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For herbs like cilantro, trim the stems, put them in a glass of water, and refrigerate. For scallions, put them in a glass of water, in moderate sunlight and they will continue to grow.

I like Penney’s, but also get spices and spice mixes at ethnic grocery stores. And Old Bay. Always: Old Bay.
The Spice Suite is worth a trip.

Grrrr: Penzey’s

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I buy whole spices at the Indian store and grind in small quantities myself. Store them all in the basement fridge. They haven't gone off on me yet but I do use a lot of spices.

Oh that is a really great idea! I should also probably invest in a grinder. heck I grind my coffee every morning, why not my spices!

You will want separate grinders. And I love this post.

+1 - definitely get a separate grinder for your spices. I found this out the hard way, ending up with chili-powder-tasting coffee one morning. Even if you rinse out the blades really well, it's impossible to get the spices essence totally free from the machine.

I get spices at H-Mart and Lotte, where the prices tend to be better. Sadaf and Lisy are good brands. I like Penzey's for spice mixes.

NP. Is this a problem if you run different types of spices through the grinder? Like, will I end up with chili-flavored allspice? Or is it just that coffee specifically is mild enough to pick up the spice essence?

[Anonymous]

I buy from the spice house in the flatpack packaging.

https://www.thespicehouse.com/products/flatpack-holder