Spices…
As we head into the holiday baking season it’s time to clean out the old spices in the spice rack. If your spice have been around longer then our current president then you need to replace them with fresh ones. As spices age they lose their color, favor and health benefits. Here is a short list of how long they lasts if they are stored in the proper conditions.
Ground Spices = 1-2 years
Whole Spices = 2-3 years
Seasoning blends = 1-2 years
Herbs = 1-3 years
Extracts = 4 years, (pure vanilla lasts indefinitely)
Proper storage
Spices need to stored in tightly capped container and keep away from heat, moisture and direct light. Do not store spices over or around the stove, sink, dishwasher, and windows. Any spice in the red pepper family can be kept in the refrigerator. They will keep their color and freshness longer in there.
So where do you store your spices? I keep mine in small Rubbermaid twist lock bowl. I write the bowl the name of the spice on it. I have a small cabinet in the kitchen as far ways as it can from the stove, sink to hold all my spices. Since I cook Indian food, I have a larger amount of spice then the standard American. My whole cabinet is full of different spices, mixes and spice paste.
There is no reason to buy your spices in little red label bottles at your local grocery stores. Most of the jars are less then an ounce and the price is extreme high. If you look at the spices at the dollar store well, they are pass their prime. The color, favor, and health benefits are gone before they were bottled.
The best place to buy spices is at our local Indian Stores. Mirsung, 49 E Green St. Champaign. Spices are sold as whole or ground in bags. The bags are 3.5 to 7 ounces. For example, the ground cinnamon is 3.5 oz for around 1.49. The bags will have the name of the spice in English and Hindi. If you have any questions the staff is very friendly.
The other Indian store in town is Annapoorna, 505 S Neil St. Ste 11. Champaign. They are in the plaza where Pickles restaurant was for many years.
You can also find a variety of spices at AMKO on First and Springfield. In the past, I have found them there at a better price than the other stores.
ReplyDeleteI will check them out later this week. Thanks for let us know.
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