Sorry if this has been covered.

I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).

The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?

I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).

All responses appreciates,

-Zz
"Zz Yzx" rhymes with "physics"; or " Isaacs" if you prefer.
http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/zzyzx_road.htm

"Zz Yzx" > wrote in message
...
> Sorry if this has been covered.
>
> I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
> Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
> here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
>
> The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
> spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
>
> I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
> containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
> invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).
>
> All responses appreciates,
>
> -Zz
> "Zz Yzx" rhymes with "physics"; or " Isaacs" if you prefer.
> http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/zzyzx_road.htm

I freeze spices in a ziplock bag. I have a batch of provencial herbs I
bought in Paris a number of years ago, and they still add "prov. herb" to a
dish just fine.

If you're in a metropolitan area that has an Indian market, search that out
for bulk spices. Bulk spices are 10% of the cost of the comparable Safeway
product, and they're usually much better.

Kent

Zz Yzx wrote:
> Sorry if this has been covered.
>
> I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
> Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
> here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
>
> The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
> spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?

I have used my food vacuum sealer to create an air-tight environment. I keep
them in a dark, cool location in my pantry.
--
Dave
"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion,
butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance
accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders,
give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new
problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight
efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects."......
Robert Heinlein

"Kent" > wrote:
> "Zz Yzx" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Sorry if this has been covered.
>>
>> I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
>> Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
>> here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
>>
>> The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
>> spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
>>
>> I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
>> containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
>> invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).
>>
>> All responses appreciates,
>>
>> -Zz
>> "Zz Yzx" rhymes with "physics"; or " Isaacs" if you prefer.
>> http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/zzyzx_road.htm
>
> I freeze spices in a ziplock bag. I have a batch of provencial herbs I
> bought in Paris a number of years ago, and they still add "prov. herb" to a
> dish just fine.
>
> If you're in a metropolitan area that has an Indian market, search that out
> for bulk spices. Bulk spices are 10% of the cost of the comparable Safeway
> product, and they're usually much better.
>
> Kent

My local Italian deli has bulk spices. I also get $1 large spices at a
particular dollar store. I don't store them in any particular way.

Greg

On Fri, 25 Nov 2011 15:23:45 -0800, Zz Yzx >
wrote:

>Sorry if this has been covered.
>
>I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
>Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
>here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
>
>The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
>spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
>
>I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
>containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
>invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).
>
>All responses appreciates,
>
>-Zz
>"Zz Yzx" rhymes with "physics"; or " Isaacs" if you prefer.
>http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/zzyzx_road.htm


We use 8 ounce jars from jelly.

Often, the moths are already in the herbs and hatch when conditions
are right. I don't know about pepper flakes though. Try keeping them
in the fridge.

On 25-Nov-2011, "Dave Bugg" > wrote:

> > Sorry if this has been covered.
> >
> > I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
> > Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
> > here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
> >
> > The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
> > spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
>
> I have used my food vacuum sealer to create an air-tight environment. I
> keep
> them in a dark, cool location in my pantry.
> --
> Dave

What Dave said. Spices are degraded by oxidation an attacked by
airborn enzymes/bacteria. I not only vacuum pack spices, but
many other dry products as well. Weevils and moths don't get past
the plastic barrier. It does work. Whether it is/will be cost effective
for you given the cost of machinery and materials is up to you. Food-
saver is of course the big gun due to their proliferic advertising, but
there are many other vendors out there that offer more cost effective
products. I pay 6¢ to 9¢/bag depending on pint or quart size bags.

--
Brick(Better to remain silent and be thought a fool
then to speak up and remove all doubt)

On 25-Nov-2011, "Kent" > wrote:

> > Sorry if this has been covered.
> >
> > I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
> > Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
> > here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
> >
> > The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
> > spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
> >
> > I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
> > containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
> > invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).
> >
> > All responses appreciates,
> >
> > -Zz
> > "Zz Yzx" rhymes with "physics"; or " Isaacs" if you prefer.
> > http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/zzyzx_road.htm
>
> I freeze spices in a ziplock bag. I have a batch of provencial herbs I
> bought in Paris a number of years ago, and they still add "prov. herb" to
> a
> dish just fine.
>
> If you're in a metropolitan area that has an Indian market, search that
> out
> for bulk spices. Bulk spices are 10% of the cost of the comparable Safeway
>
> product, and they're usually much better.
>
> Kent

I strongly advise against freezing spices in ZipLock bags. Anybody that
has any experience at all with freezing knows better the that. It will work
for the short term, (a few weeks), but will fail miserably for longer terms.
Vacuum packing and then freezing is a whole different ball game.

Anybody that wants to discuss vacuum packaging and or microwave
techniques, email me offline. I'm not a guru. I do some things that work
for me.

--
Brick(Better to remain silent and be thought a fool
then to speak up and remove all doubt)

"Zz Yzx" wrote in message
...

Sorry if this has been covered.

I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).

The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?

I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).

All responses appreciates,

I use either glass canning jars or metal tins lined and covered with plastic
wrap.

Alton Brown uses film tins on good eats.

Gene

Nice post kent. Thanks for the tricky ideas.

> wrote in message
.com...
>
> On 25-Nov-2011, "Kent" > wrote:
>
>> > Sorry if this has been covered.
>> >
>> > I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
>> > Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
>> > here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
>> >
>> > The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
>> > spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
>> >
>> > I'm looking for a specific brand of plastic, glass, whatever storage
>> > containers that will keep the pantry moths out (fer chrissakes they
>> > invaded and destroyed my "super-hot" cayenne pepper flakes).
>> >
>> > All responses appreciates,
>> >
>> > -Zz
>> > "Zz Yzx" rhymes with "physics"; or " Isaacs" if you prefer.
>> > http://www.abandonedbutnotforgotten.com/zzyzx_road.htm
>>
>> I freeze spices in a ziplock bag. I have a batch of provencial herbs I
>> bought in Paris a number of years ago, and they still add "prov. herb" to
>> a
>> dish just fine.
>>
>> If you're in a metropolitan area that has an Indian market, search that
>> out
>> for bulk spices. Bulk spices are 10% of the cost of the comparable
>> Safeway
>>
>> product, and they're usually much better.
>>
>> Kent
>
> I strongly advise against freezing spices in ZipLock bags. Anybody that
> has any experience at all with freezing knows better the that. It will
> work
> for the short term, (a few weeks), but will fail miserably for longer
> terms.
> Vacuum packing and then freezing is a whole different ball game.
>
> Anybody that wants to discuss vacuum packaging and or microwave
> techniques, email me offline. I'm not a guru. I do some things that work
> for me.
>
> --
> Brick(Better to remain silent and be thought a fool
> then to speak up and remove all doubt)

What fails with freezing Ziplock?

> wrote in message
.com...
>
> On 25-Nov-2011, "Dave Bugg" > wrote:
>
>> > Sorry if this has been covered.
>> >
>> > I'm amazed how cheap spices are from online sources (e.g. Penzey's,
>> > Spice Barn, many others) compared to local grocery stores (Safeway
>> > here rin 95620 charges $6.99 for ONE Oz of sesame seeds).
>> >
>> > The question I have is: "What's the best way to store bulk
>> > spices/herbs/seeds/&tc."?
>>
>> I have used my food vacuum sealer to create an air-tight environment. I
>> keep
>> them in a dark, cool location in my pantry.
>> --
>> Dave
>
> What Dave said. Spices are degraded by oxidation an attacked by
> airborn enzymes/bacteria. I not only vacuum pack spices, but
> many other dry products as well. Weevils and moths don't get past
> the plastic barrier. It does work. Whether it is/will be cost effective
> for you given the cost of machinery and materials is up to you. Food-
> saver is of course the big gun due to their proliferic advertising, but
> there are many other vendors out there that offer more cost effective
> products. I pay 6¢ to 9¢/bag depending on pint or quart size bags.
>
> --
>

My dry spices go into a "doubled" water tight 1 qt Ziplock bag. As much air
is sucked out as possible. The bag goes into a non-defrosting chest freezer.
The spices are preserved for years without any problems. I think Ziplock is
making a bag with a suction pump on it, at prices far less than the vacuum
pack devices.

Kent