Are there some spices you just love..? (ingredient, organic, grocery store)
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"All that unused spice will go stale in a heartbeat."
I cringe when someone uses a generalization like "All" in conjunction with excessive hyperbole, like "in a heartbeat." I also have issues with some of the tv show personalities (cough Alton) who spread the idea of tossing out spices wholesale.
Many of the spices first got used only after months of travel by caravan and sea before being getting to Europe. Did those original recipe followers go "Oh, this nutmeg is over a month old, I need to toss it!"? Of course not. Spices do age poorly and volatile oils evaporate, but that varies.
Cool dark storage and good seals have people tossing perfectly good spices if they follow standard advice. Even in cases where the potency isn't there, sometimes it is as simple a matter as increasing the amount used to compensate. Then there are ones like rosemary, where I have to at least double the amount of fresh rosemary from my plant to get the same effect as a lesser amount of dried rosemary.
You might also want to check the dates on bottles before buying. What you are tossing might only be marginally older than what is on a store shelf.
Although not a spice, the worst offender IME is baking powder. Once that can is opened, the acid in it immediately starts acting to make it less potent. The southern humidity doesn't help.
"All that unused spice will go stale in a heartbeat."
I cringe when someone uses a generalization like "All" in conjunction with excessive hyperbole, like "in a heartbeat." I also have issues with some of the tv show personalities (cough Alton) who spread the idea of tossing out spices wholesale.
Many of the spices first got used only after months of travel by caravan and sea before being getting to Europe. Did those original recipe followers go "Oh, this nutmeg is over a month old, I need to toss it!"? Of course not. Spices do age poorly and volatile oils evaporate, but that varies.
Cool dark storage and good seals have people tossing perfectly good spices if they follow standard advice. Even in cases where the potency isn't there, sometimes it is as simple a matter as increasing the amount used to compensate. Then there are ones like rosemary, where I have to at least double the amount of fresh rosemary from my plant to get the same effect as a lesser amount of dried rosemary.
You might also want to check the dates on bottles before buying. What you are tossing might only be marginally older than what is on a store shelf.
Although not a spice, the worst offender IME is baking powder. Once that can is opened, the acid in it immediately starts acting to make it less potent. The southern humidity doesn't help.
Many spices lose their potency quicker once you grind them. There are several spices/herbs I use that lose their potency and become bitter, so increasing the amount used in a recipe will certainly ruin the recipe. The spices/herbs I use most don't stay around very long, but I throw away most spices/herbs once they have been opened for a year. In the past I've ruined a few dishes using old spices/herbs.
I smell the spices and if they smell and look OK, I use them. If they look dusty or smell weird or (occasionally I taste them) taste weird, I toss 'em.
I've never had a bad experience with an "old" spice - by that I mean a spice more than a year old. If the truth be known, I have some spices that are three years old - like allspice, nutmeg, that sort of thing. No issues.
But my favorite spices (about 25 or so of them) are used up pretty quickly because my husband and I love cooking and I tend to add spices to just about everything. Scrambled eggs? Add spices. Tomato soup? Add spices. Ramen? Add spices. Pot roast? Add spices. Chicken salad? Add spices.
I generally toss them after a few years - and of course some I toss earlier. The one that tends to hang out a long time in my cupboard is garlic salt. It seems like I never use that up - I have no idea how old it is in fact! I use fresh garlic most of the time but for some reason I guess I keep thinking I might need to use it on garlic bread or something...
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But my favorite spices (about 25 or so of them) are used up pretty quickly because my husband and I love cooking and I tend to add spices to just about everything. Scrambled eggs? Add spices. Tomato soup? Add spices. Ramen? Add spices. Pot roast? Add spices. Chicken salad? Add spices.
This is my philosophy, too. I have eighteen or so small jars of spice in a drawer near my stove. I fill them up at a natural foods store, where I can purchase the quantity I need from a bulk canister. The garden is full of fresh herbs -- I don't generally keep dried herbs on hand -- and there's plenty of garlic and ginger in the crisper. Like you, I love seasoning my food with spices and fresh herbs and go through them fairly quickly.
"All that unused spice will go stale in a heartbeat.....
Although not a spice, the worst offender IME is baking powder. Once that can is opened, the acid in it immediately starts acting to make it less potent. The southern humidity doesn't help.
I buy those small cans of Calumet baking powder and keep it in the freezer. I have no idea if this preserves it or not but I usually use the can in 6 months or so and it seems fine.
There are some I really really love but I don't use as often so didn't make the "cut"...again I decided to think of which 10 I would not want to have to go without. But then adding in those that I love but aren't as versatile:
Garam masala
Five spice powder
Saffron
Cayenne
Allspice
White pepper
Thyme
Chili powder
Coriander
Paprika
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I have to use a stepstool to reach most of mine!
