In article >,
(Bruce Burger) wrote:

> Are they better than the spice place in Pike Place Market?
>
> Just checking. The Penzey's store I've been to (in Minneapolis) seemed
> bigger than the place in the market, but not being a frequent customer
> of either, I'm not sure how their selection or quality compare.

Cindy and I have only been to the spice place in Pike Place Market a
couple of times. Maybe we bought some tea there, I'm not sure. So I
hesitate to make any conclusions. But my impression, from looking
around, is that much of their stuff looks like it's been sitting around
for quite a while, and often in big non-hermetic containers.

I don't know how Penzey's warehouses their spices in their retail
stores. But the stuff we get from them via mailorder arrives in nice
screwtop jars, or sealed plastic bags. The products are usually fresh
and of high quality. Perhaps Penzey's sales volume means that they have
a high turnover. The other nice thing about Penzey's (at least the mail
order operation) is that their selection is enormous. For each spice
there are often many different variants, from different parts of the
world. Lots of paprikas, peppercorns, cinnamons, etc.

I don't know if the Penzey's retail stores will be able to maintain the
same turnover and variety as their mailorder service. When we lived on
the east coast, I sometimes bought Starbucks coffee (unground beans) via
mailorder. The beans I bought via mail order were usually fresher than
the stuff I sold at the Starbucks shop only a mile away from our house.
A couple of times, when I got obviously stale beans, I complained to the
manager in that shop. He insisted that all the coffee he sold was only
a few days from roasting, but I am virtually certain he was lying. In
any case, I switched to other vendors as my primary sources (Peet's,
Caffe d'Arte) and used Starbucks only for emergency resupplies.

If we can't get Penzey's to come to Seattle, maybe we should try to
convince Pendery's to open a store here. Note that the spelling is
close enough to be confusing, but they are not the same. Cindy and I
discovered Pendery's when we lived in Dallas. It was a small shop,
selling spices and Texas specialties. They are most famous for their
extensive selection of chiles: whole and ground, varietals and blends.
If you like serious Texas-style chili, this is a good place to buy your
spice. I don't know if they still have a retail shop in Dallas, but
they now have a web sto

<http://www.penderys.com>

--
Julian Vrieslander

In article >,
(Bruce Burger) wrote:

> Are they better than the spice place in Pike Place Market?
>
> Just checking. The Penzey's store I've been to (in Minneapolis) seemed
> bigger than the place in the market, but not being a frequent customer
> of either, I'm not sure how their selection or quality compare.

Cindy and I have only been to the spice place in Pike Place Market a
couple of times. Maybe we bought some tea there, I'm not sure. So I
hesitate to make any conclusions. But my impression, from looking
around, is that much of their stuff looks like it's been sitting around
for quite a while, and often in big non-hermetic containers.

I don't know how Penzey's warehouses their spices in their retail
stores. But the stuff we get from them via mailorder arrives in nice
screwtop jars, or sealed plastic bags. The products are usually fresh
and of high quality. Perhaps Penzey's sales volume means that they have
a high turnover. The other nice thing about Penzey's (at least the mail
order operation) is that their selection is enormous. For each spice
there are often many different variants, from different parts of the
world. Lots of paprikas, peppercorns, cinnamons, etc.

I don't know if the Penzey's retail stores will be able to maintain the
same turnover and variety as their mailorder service. When we lived on
the east coast, I sometimes bought Starbucks coffee (unground beans) via
mailorder. The beans I got via mail order were usually fresher than
the stuff at the Starbucks shop only a mile away from our house.
A couple of times, when I got obviously stale beans, I complained to the
manager in that shop. He insisted that all the coffee he sold was only
a few days from roasting, but I am virtually certain he was lying. In
any case, I switched to other vendors as my primary sources (Peet's,
Caffe d'Arte) and used Starbucks only for emergency resupplies.

If we can't get Penzey's to come to Seattle, maybe we should try to
convince Pendery's to open a store here. Note that the spelling is
close enough to be confusing, but they are not the same. Cindy and I
discovered Pendery's when we lived in Dallas. It was a small shop,
selling spices and Texas specialties. They are most famous for their
extensive selection of chiles: whole and ground, varietals and blends.
If you like serious Texas-style chili, this is a good place to buy your
spice. I don't know if they still have a retail shop in Dallas, but
they now have a web sto

<http://www.penderys.com>

--
Julian Vrieslander

"Julian Vrieslander" > wrote in
message

....
>
> Cindy and I have only been to the spice place in Pike Place Market a
> couple of times. Maybe we bought some tea there, I'm not sure. So I
> hesitate to make any conclusions. But my impression, from looking
> around, is that much of their stuff looks like it's been sitting around
> for quite a while, and often in big non-hermetic containers.

When I buy spices at the Market, I shop at the Souk. They damn sure are
fresh there.
--
Ivan Weiss http://www.twonewspapertown.org
Vashon WA http://ussmariner.blogspot.com

In article >,
wrote:

> On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 08:10:38 GMT, Julian Vrieslander
> > wrote:
>
> >
> >Cindy and I have only been to the spice place in Pike Place Market a
> >couple of times. Maybe we bought some tea there, I'm not sure. So I
> >hesitate to make any conclusions. But my impression, from looking
> >around, is that much of their stuff looks like it's been sitting around
> >for quite a while, and often in big non-hermetic containers.
>
> Was that World Spice on Western or Pike Place Spice in the market
> itself. World Spice is better with a fresher selection.
>
> Bubba

It was Market Spice. I was underwhelmed. The only thing I can smell in
there is their tea. Since I don't like spice teas, that's turned me off
them. I want my mustard and caraway to smell like mustard and caraway,
not spice tea.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

Cindy Fuller wrote:

> It was Market Spice. I was underwhelmed. The only thing I can smell in
> there is their tea. Since I don't like spice teas, that's turned me off
> them. I want my mustard and caraway to smell like mustard and caraway,
> not spice tea.

Market Spice is a tourist trap, and foul smelling and the damn tea
gives dysuria. Go north past those stupid fish throwers, left and down
two flights, cross the street and then north half a block and you'll
find World Spice. BTW, the counter people have all been male and most of
them worth flirting with, and at my age, that has to be pretty good to
overcome the fat, white, middleaged thing. I mean goodlooking AND smart.
blacksalt

wrote:

> You should go down to World Spice Merchants on Western. Alton Brown
> just did a show that featured them. Give them a try and then decide if
> you want to keep ordering from Penzeys.
>
Yes I do. They do not over lap completely. Each has something the other
doesn't, and, at least on the herbs I order, even with shipping P's is
better priced. Also, in a side by side, my Indian ex said Penzey's cardi
and clove was better.
blacksalt

Hark! I heard kalanamak > say:
> Cindy Fuller wrote:
>
> > It was Market Spice. I was underwhelmed. The only thing I can smell in
> > there is their tea. Since I don't like spice teas, that's turned me off
> > them. I want my mustard and caraway to smell like mustard and caraway,
> > not spice tea.
>
> Market Spice is a tourist trap, and foul smelling and the damn tea
> gives dysuria.

And doesn't that stuff just *reek*? Someone gave me a jar of it many
years ago, and I was always afraid to try it because of the smell.

> Go north past those stupid fish throwers,

Aww, I like the fish guys.

> left and down
> two flights, cross the street and then north half a block and you'll
> find World Spice. BTW, the counter people have all been male and most of
> them worth flirting with, and at my age, that has to be pretty good to
> overcome the fat, white, middleaged thing. I mean goodlooking AND smart.



--
j.j. ~ mom, gamer, novice cook ~
...fish heads, fish heads, eat them up, yum!

I heartily second the motion.

Several years ago, my wife was traveling through the Chicago airport and
bought me a jar of The Spice House Moroccan Mixture. It is OUTSTANDING!
Chicken thighs become ambrosia with a hearty dash of this, pork chops are
lip-smacking pig-out delicious with a good sprinkling of this. I urge you
to try this in your cooking. You won't be disappointed. I've ordered this
again and again, in ever larger quantities.

http://www.thespicehouse.com/product/product_177.php

I think I've got a couple of pork butts in the freezer downstairs, excuse me
while I go cook....

Chris

> wrote in message
...
> On Sun, 18 Jan 2004 18:48:49 -0800, kalanamak >
> wrote:
>
> wrote:
> >
> >> You should go down to World Spice Merchants on Western. Alton Brown
> >> just did a show that featured them. Give them a try and then decide if
> >> you want to keep ordering from Penzeys.
> >>
> >Yes I do. They do not over lap completely. Each has something the other
> >doesn't, and, at least on the herbs I order, even with shipping P's is
> >better priced. Also, in a side by side, my Indian ex said Penzey's cardi
> >and clove was better.
>
> then you might want to try The Spice House. I think they are a Chicago
> based off shoot of the Penzey family and they have some interesting
> rubs and mixes.
>
> www.thespicehouse.com
>