How Do You Store Your Spices and Dried Herbs?

[norgeskog]

Currently, my spices are in the original jars in the cabinet next to my stove. But I saw a cool setup on the Good Eats show (any other Alton Brown fans here?) that I'm totally coveting and I'm gonna do that!

He has strips of velcro on the insides of the cabinet doors. Then he put velcro on the bottoms of metal spice tins and sticks them to the door (magnetic strips would probably work too). The names of each are written in sharpie marker on the top (Labels would be just as good, I'm sure). You just grab what you want, and then stick it back when you're done. Plus, you have more room left in your cabinet for other things.

Isn't that cool? So I'm looking for the metal tins now.

Try wal-mart or Bed Bath & Beyond.

 

[choclatechef]

There are a myriad of ways to store spices I see!

Any more ideas?

 

[Spice1133]

Like PA BAker I have a very small kitchen with little counter space. DH put small racks on the back of most of the kitchen cabinet doors for my spices, on the rest of them he put cup hooks so I could hang my utensils and find them easily instead of rifleing through draws for them. They do take some space up in the cabinets because you can't have things too close to the edge but them more than make up for it in storage space. On my linen closet door and the door to the garage we also hung shelves for more storage.

 

[choclatechef]

I guess nobody else likes to grind their spices fresh! And nobody likes Mr. Dudley grinders either. http://www.closeoutstrading.com/HTM...ares_retail.htm

I am so sad.

 

[Spice1133]

Don't be sad chocolatechef, we like you. Actually the Mr. Dudley looks like it would work great if I had a place for it. I can't afford any counter space. The only things I will have on my counter is my microwave, toaster oven and mixer, and the only reason the mixer is there is because it's too heavy to move in and out and I use it so often. Coffee maker, toaster, hand mixer etc is in a cabinet out in the garage and that is chock full.

 

[choclatechef]

Don't be sad chocolatechef, we like you. Actually the Mr. Dudley looks like it would work great if I had a place for it. I can't afford any counter space. The only things I will have on my counter is my microwave, toaster oven and mixer, and the only reason the mixer is there is because it's too heavy to move in and out and I use it so often. Coffee maker, toaster, hand mixer etc is in a cabinet out in the garage and that is chock full.

Just kidding Spice! I am not sad.

You can put the Mr. Dudley in a wall cabinet. It spins and is only 7 inches tall.

 

[zan]

Thanks! This was a query I have been investigating for awhile via friends and internet. I have just thrown away about 200 or 300 dollars worth of herbs because of pantry bugs (organic stone-ground whole wheat or fancy rice blend is the suspected culprit) and didn't want to make the same mistake AGAIN - as it is very costly!

So when I buy dried herbs, I can store them in the freezer with no compromise in flavor/taste? Right? I sure hope so because this was a nightmare - pantry-wise.

Zan

 

[zan]

I wouldn't try Wal-Mart if it were the last corporate-greedy enity in the world.

 

[Constance]

I understand your problem. When I lived in Louisiana, I had to store my flour in the freezer.
In regard to your question, yes you can Zan. They'll actually keep a lot longer. Just make sure you put them in zip-loc bags and squeeze all the air out. I would then put the bags together in a box or plastic container, so they don't get lost in the depths of your deep-freeze.

 

[Paul R.]

Ground clove dissolves plastic???

I bought some ground cloves, bulk, in November, at Whole Foods. I stored them in a kitchen drawer in the plastic container supplied by Whole Foods. After 3 months, I found the cloves were outside the container, and the container looked melted. The container was never heated, so I'm assuming it dissolved, not melted.

Has anyone else seen such a thing? Is clove oil a known solvent for plastic? If I did it right, there should be a photo of the clove container attached this post.

 

[Corey123]

I bought some ground cloves, bulk, in November, at Whole Foods. I stored them in a kitchen drawer in the plastic container supplied by Whole Foods. After 3 months, I found the cloves were outside the container, and the container looked melted. The container was never heated, so I'm assuming it dissolved, not melted.

Has anyone else seen such a thing? Is clove oil a known solvent for plastic? If I did it right, there should be a photo of the clove container attached this post.

There is, and the container DOES look melted.

I keep all my spices on the microwave rack below the microwave oven. And spices WILL go bad! They won't mold or mildew, but what happens is that over time, some of them can lose their aroma.

Not so long ago, I made some curried shrimp scampi. I went to open up the Jamaican curry power, not realizing that the odor had faded away, leaving a tasteless
dish!! I had to go out to the nearest store, in this case, the Spanish store in my immediate area and get some more.

I never even knew before that, that curry powder can lose it's odor over time!!

 

[kitchenelf]

Paul - wow - that is quite interesting. I'm going to send someone over to this thread to take a look at your "issue".

Corey, you gave your answer to your curry dilemma FIRST! Curry is a spice after all - they ALL lose flavor.

 

[StirBlue]

This was an interesting thread. I have accumulated some new spices and oils etc. But haven't incorporated them into the spice cabinet yet. I had though of leaving them on the counter but I guess they will go into the dark cool cabinet with the others.
What have I learned: I have been storing rice and flour in the cabinet above the stove. The flour has always been okay. They are in air tight Tupperware modular mates. However, I thought the rice was old because it was cooking gritty. (I have been using some instant product in another cabinet) I had bought a new bag of rice but it is in the dark cool cabinet with the spices. I have not had time to throw out the old rice and refill the container with new. I will now move both the flour and rice to another cabinet.
There is only about a cup or less in the flour container. At least once a year, I toss the old flour anyway. I also have a new bag of flour in the dark cool cabinet that I have not had time to put in the flour container.
I am just running a little slow in cleaning the cabinets this year. I guess it was to my advantage since these things needed a more appropriate storage place.
Thanks to all who have shared their spice storage knowledge. I continually run out of spices. I leave the empty containers in the spice cabinet and when I make a shopping list and look to see what is needed I find the empty containers and the near empty ones too.

 

[Dandelion]

mine go in a dollar store mini plastic crate in one of my cupboards

 

[Alix]

Hey Paul, is your drawer close to either your stove or your dishwasher?

 

[boufa06]

I never even knew before that, that curry powder can lose it's odor over time!!

Corey, to preserve the aroma and flavour of your curry powder, you might want to refrigerate or even freeze it in an airtight container.

 

[Robo410]

got mine on turntables in the side cabinet. I prep my mise there. I buy the smallest containers I can, date the bottoms and toss em depending on type within 12 to 18 months. I like to buy bulk by the gram from a specialty market when I can because it is much cheaper and less wastefull. I do grind my own seeds and pods, and even dried leaves is a m&p to get the flavors out. Fresh whenever I can and now also grow my own. In fact my basil is going crazy by the kitchen window even in winter!

 

[Michael in FtW]

Paul - I can not find any indication that ground cloves would act as a solvent to decompose plastics. McCormick sells ground cloves in 1oz plastic jars - oil of cloves (which is much more concentrated and volatile than ground cloves) is also sold in plastic bottles.

Your photo shows what appears to be a thermal melt-down, not a chemical decomposition, from the way the plastic is deformed. The container also looks like one of those thin "condiment" containers - they have a low melting point.

I have to agree with Alix - is the drawer where you stored this next to your stove, oven, or dishwasher? Or, is there a chance that you might have stored something hot in the drawer in close proximity to the container - maybe something hot out of the dishwasher? If so, even if you have herbs/spices stored it sturdier containers that will not melt at such low temperatures you may want to consider finding another place to store them away from the heat since it will accelerate the rate they degrade.

 

[Corey123]

Corey, to preserve the aroma and flavour of your curry powder, you might want to refrigerate or even freeze it in an airtight container.

Both the fridge and freezer are filled to capacity right now.

But there IS the hallway where I keep staples and canned goods, and that acts and feels like a fridge right now. So maybe I'll do that.

 

[Crash]