"Steve Freides" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove wrote:
>> "Steve Freides" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>> Has anyone ever bought dried oregano that smelled or tasted off?
>>>>
>>>> The first time I noticed this, I wasn't sure what it was. I bought
>>>> the Italian seasoning from Costco. It had a musty odor to it and it
>>>> didn't taste good to us. I think it was a Mccormick seasoning but
>>>> it was different than what I usually buy. I think it said "Northern
>>>> Italian" or something.
>>>> I just assumed that we didn't like it and I threw it out.
>>>>
>>>> And now I have some Archer Farms oregano. I notice that the aroma
>>>> of it when I open the bottle is very strong/sharp. I can't really
>>>> tell if it is a different aroma than usual. I will have to buy another
>>>> brand and compare them. And there isn't the must smell. But it
>>>> seems to have an off flavor. I thought at first that it was just
>>>> stronger than usual. So I used less of it. But that didn't help.
>>>> Gives an off flavor to my dish. I will buy another brand tomorrow
>>>> and see if that is better.
>>>> Oregano is one of the herbs/spices that I have been using for
>>>> years. And I used to put a ton of it in my red pasta sauce. I am
>>>> not brand loyal either. If I need it, I will buy it wherever I am and
>>>> will
>>>> usually get whatever the cheapest stuff is. That could be the 99
>>>> cent stuff at the drugstore, but usually it's McCormick or
>>>> Schilling.
>>>
>>> Sounds like you're using inconsistent sources for an important
>>> ingredient and getting inconsistent results - perhaps settling on a
>>> brand you like will solve that problem for you. Even if you find
>>> several high quality sources, their differing tastes could result in
>>> dishes you don't like - it's easy to consistently source this so why
>>> not do just that? Oregano that's too _good_ - fresher, stronger
>>> flavor - could ruin a dish, too. We like Trader Joe's for powdered
>>> herbs/spices. They don't have a
>>> big selection of herbs and spices but I'm pretty sure they do have
>>> oregano. We now get our cinnamon, black pepper (in a grinder),
>>> garlic powder, and a few others there.
>>>
>>> -S-
>>
>> That could be. Thing is, I take oil of oregano daily and have
>> applied it externally. I don't know if dried oregano would have the
>> same scent but this certainly does not. Maybe I should always buy
>> the same one. I don't get to TJ's too often. It's not close to
>> where I live and I hate waiting in the long lines there.
>
> No disrespect intended but you've changed the subject - buy dried oregano
> from the same, good source and not from anywhere else and your original
> problem should be solved. Oil of oregano is a different thing entirely.
>
> -S-

Yes, it is different. But now that I have bought new dried stuff, I really
think there was some sort of problem with the old stuff. They looked pretty
much the same but the aroma was much different. The old stuff had almost a
minty aroma. Daughter said she didn't like the flavor either.

I tasted some of the new stuff (yes in the dried form) and it did taste as I
know oregano to taste. I added some of that along with more parsley, some
rosemary, onion powder, a bit of garlic and some red pepper flakes to the
unstuffed peppers. The taste is as it should be.

So either I got a different variety of oregano or they put the wrong stuff
in my bottle. The new stuff is cheap. The Rite Aid brand. They had their
seasonings on sale for $1 each plus you save another $1 if you buy 3 and you
get some sort of points which probably doesn't apply to me. I don't buy
enough from them currently to benefit from the points.