Hi,
I do alot of Indian cooking and currently buy my spices from and old
fashioned style grocer, he sells the spices loose and you can have a
much or as little as you want. The question I have is how long do
spices stay usable for? He does not have any sell buy dates on.
Hez

"hez" > wrote in message
ups.com...
> Hi,
> I do alot of Indian cooking and currently buy my spices from and old
> fashioned style grocer, he sells the spices loose and you can have a
> much or as little as you want. The question I have is how long do
> spices stay usable for? He does not have any sell buy dates on.
> Hez
>

There are no hard and fast rules. It depends on the spice, how old it is
when you buy it, how you store it, and so on. Spices do not go bad really,
they just slowly lose flavor over time. I use my smell and taste for judging
when a spice is past its prime and needs to be replaced.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.

hez > wrote in message
ups.com...
==>Buying bulk spices<==
> how long do spices stay usable for?

It's dependent on multiple factors: the area each is stored in, the
manner in which they are stored, the humidity (or relative dryness),
exposure to light...

http://www.mccormick.com/foodservice...t.cfm?id=10357
http://www.theherbarium.com/pages/10013.htm
http://www.astaspice.org/faq/faqconsume.cfm

The Ranger

"hez" > wrote in news:1109000083.225733.89710
@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

> I do alot of Indian cooking and currently buy my spices from and old
> fashioned style grocer, he sells the spices loose and you can have a
> much or as little as you want. The question I have is how long do
> spices stay usable for? He does not have any sell buy dates on.

When I buy my spices and dried herbs, I immediately place them in the
freezer and take out the amount I need. That way, they tend to stay
fresh longer.

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song

In article >,
"The Ranger" > wrote:

> hez > wrote in message
> ups.com...
> ==>Buying bulk spices<==
> > how long do spices stay usable for?
>
> It's dependent on multiple factors: the area each is stored in, the
> manner in which they are stored, the humidity (or relative dryness),
> exposure to light...
>
> http://www.mccormick.com/foodservice...t.cfm?id=10357
> http://www.theherbarium.com/pages/10013.htm
> http://www.astaspice.org/faq/faqconsume.cfm
>
> The Ranger

Whole spices will stay usable for a longer period of time than
pre-ground spices. You need to consider the turnover of product in the
store where you shop. It can't hurt to ask the proprietor when he/she
got the latest batch of cumin or coriander in.

Cindy

--
C.J. Fuller

Delete the obvious to email me

Michel Boucher > wrote in message
.. .
> When I buy my spices and dried herbs, I immediately place
> them in the freezer and take out the amount I need. That
> way, they tend to stay fresh longer.

McCormick Food Services disagrees with you.
http://www.mccormick.com/foodservice...t.cfm?id=10357
"Spices should not be stored in the freezer. Freezing does not extend
the shelf life of regularly used dried spices and herbs. If stored in
the freezer, and repeatedly removed for use, condensation will form in
the bottles and accelerate loss of flavor and aroma."

From http://muextension.missouri.edu/expl...nut/gh1501.htm
"When preparing food for freezing, especially dishes that contain
several ingredients, it is more convenient to add all ingredients before
placing the food in the freezer. However, some spices and seasonings
change during freezer storage. To avoid undesirable changes in the food
product during freezer storage, note the following:"
- Pepper, cloves, garlic and synthetic vanilla tend to
become strong and bitter
- Onions change flavor during freezing
- Celery seasoning becomes strong
- Curry may develop a musty off-flavor
- Salt loses flavor and has a tendency to increase
rancidity of any item containing fat

The Ranger

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
>
> McCormick Food Services disagrees with you.

My dear Ranger Unit. We are usually in accord. However, I strongly feel that
McCormick is wrong in most of what they say. Freezing all spices and herbs
is an effective procedure. I have done it for years with no discernable
negative adventures in taste or quality. The only exception I know of is
Vanilla. Vanilla beans cannot be frozen successfully.

Charlie

"Charles Gifford" > wrote in
nk.net:

> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> McCormick Food Services disagrees with you.
>
> My dear Ranger Unit. We are usually in accord. However, I strongly
> feel that McCormick is wrong in most of what they say. Freezing
> all spices and herbs is an effective procedure. I have done it for
> years with no discernable negative adventures in taste or quality.
> The only exception I know of is Vanilla. Vanilla beans cannot be
> frozen successfully.

Ranger, what he said...

--

[...] remember when you're feeling very small and insecure,
How amazingly unlikely is your birth
And pray that there's intelligent life somewhere up in space,
'Cause there's bugger all down 'ere on Earth!

Monty Python's Universe Song

"Charles Gifford > wrote in message
nk.net...
> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> >
> > McCormick Food Services disagrees with you.
> >
> My dear Ranger Unit. We are usually in accord. However, I
> strongly feel that McCormick is wrong in most of what they
> say. Freezing all spices and herbs is an effective procedure.

I'll still go with McCormick on this one. Proper storage,

> I have done it for years with no discernable negative
> adventures in taste or quality. The only exception I know
> of is Vanilla. Vanilla beans cannot be frozen successfully.

Yeah but... You're Irish -- and have a strange affinity for Guinness --
so your tastebuds were trashed from birth... <EG>

The Ranger

The Ranger wrote:
> "Charles Gifford > wrote in message
> nk.net...
>> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>>
>>> McCormick Food Services disagrees with you.
>>>
>> My dear Ranger Unit. We are usually in accord. However, I
>> strongly feel that McCormick is wrong in most of what they
>> say. Freezing all spices and herbs is an effective procedure.
>
> I'll still go with McCormick on this one. Proper storage,
>
>> I have done it for years with no discernable negative
>> adventures in taste or quality. The only exception I know
>> of is Vanilla. Vanilla beans cannot be frozen successfully.
>
> Yeah but... You're Irish -- and have a strange affinity for Guinness
> -- so your tastebuds were trashed from birth... <EG>
>
> The Ranger

But McCormick's talks about freezing BOTTLES. Uh, no. Sealed bags of dried
herbs and spices won't let condensation in if you just remove the pinch or
so you need and seal the bag right back up. Not like shaking a bottle over
a bubbling pot.

Jill

jmcquown wrote:
> The Ranger wrote:
> > "Charles Gifford > wrote in message
> > nk.net...
> >> "The Ranger" > wrote in message
> >> ...
> >>>
> >>> McCormick Food Services disagrees with you.
> >>>
> >> My dear Ranger Unit. We are usually in accord. However, I
> >> strongly feel that McCormick is wrong in most of what they
> >> say. Freezing all spices and herbs is an effective procedure.
> >
> > I'll still go with McCormick on this one. Proper storage,
> >
> >> I have done it for years with no discernable negative
> >> adventures in taste or quality. The only exception I know
> >> of is Vanilla. Vanilla beans cannot be frozen successfully.
> >
> > Yeah but... You're Irish -- and have a strange affinity for
Guinness
> > -- so your tastebuds were trashed from birth... <EG>
> >
> > The Ranger
>
> But McCormick's talks about freezing BOTTLES. Uh, no. Sealed bags
of dried
> herbs and spices won't let condensation in if you just remove the
pinch or
> so you need and seal the bag right back up. Not like shaking a
bottle over
> a bubbling pot.
>
> Jill

Actually you're supposed to use your frozen spices to refill your
everyday-use spice bottles... then you only open the frozen spice bags
2-3-4 times before they're empty. And if you pick a dry spell (not a
hummid time) to refill spice bottles and do it expeditiously (not leave
the bag open and walk away while yentering on the cell phone) there
will be no measurable condensation... your stock of spices in the
freezer is not supposed to be your working spices, otherwise don't
bother freezing. The only reasons to freeze spices is to benefit from
bulk-buying prices, and so as not to need to make purchases so often.

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
>
> Yeah but... You're Irish -- and have a strange affinity for Guinness --
> so your tastebuds were trashed from birth... <EG>
>
> The Ranger

True enough. I have indeed trashed my tastebuds. <sigh> I think it was the
ciggies not the Guinness! I've done the circuit. Young fool, fool and now
old fool. Fortunately the tastebuds needed for beer and chocolate are still
fully functional!

Charlie

Charles Gifford > wrote in message
ink.net...
> I've done the circuit. Young fool, fool and now
> old fool.

I, too, one day hope to complete such a circuit.

> Fortunately the tastebuds needed for beer and chocolate
> are still fully functional!

And which other beers, besides Guinness Draught do you have stocked in
your extra fridge?

The Ranger
--
The 56k modem teaches us patience, humility, and the love of quiet
contemplation, grasshopper.
-- Kylie, AM Nov. '02

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
<snip>
> And which other beers, besides Guinness Draught do you have stocked in
> your extra fridge?
>
> The Ranger

I have Boddingtons (in the nitrogen can) when I can afford it. When money
gets tight, I have a supply of MGD. When I am really poor I have cans of
<don't tell anyone> Pabst Genuine Draft. Normally it is Guinness or
Boddingtons. Yummy! The public house I frequent has both on tap. God bless
the landlord!

Charlie