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What's your spice storage solution?
As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack
on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now we've far outgrown that. I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! |
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> wrote in message ... > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! All spices are in Ball glass jars, with the one-piece plastic lids, almost all wide-mouth, labeled with avery file labels or scotch-taped labels on the outside with dates purchased, and sometimes with an ending date that I have decided by researching how long to keep, sometimes where I've bought and the price. All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it in a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for instance, I use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular refrigerator. HTH, Dee Dee |
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On Mon 08 Aug 2005 02:13:13p, Dee Randall wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> > > wrote in message > ... >> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >> we've far outgrown that. >> >> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! > > All spices are in Ball glass jars, with the one-piece plastic lids, > almost all wide-mouth, labeled with avery file labels or scotch-taped > labels on the outside with dates purchased, and sometimes with an ending > date that I have decided by researching how long to keep, sometimes > where I've bought and the price. > > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for > nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it in > a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for instance, I > use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular refrigerator. > HTH, > Dee Dee That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. -- Wayne Boatwright *¿* ____________________________________________ Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day. Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974 |
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In article >,
" <> wrote: > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! I use one of my kitchen drawers. All my spices are in regular tall glass spice bottles. I found some at Target for $1 each so they worked for my Penzey's spices in a bag order. I found some round labels that go through the computer and wrote the name of each spice on them - one per label. They fit quite nicely on the lid so when I open the drawer I can find what I need without picking up each bottle to read the label on the glass part. I dunno if I could fit 75 bottles in the drawer, but I do have quite a big selection. marcella |
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In article >, Wayne Boatwright
> wrote: > > > > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for > > nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. > > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it in > > a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for instance, I > > use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular refrigerator. > > HTH, > > Dee Dee > > That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? > Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second > refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. I think the 4-ounce jars (I've only seen them with the Kerr label for a couple years) would be about right -- 1/2 cup. I buy most of mine at a food co-op and when I need a tablespoon of ground cardamom once a year, I can buy that one tablespoon and know it's fresh. -- -Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 8/3/05 New York-Vermont tab (a couple pictures added to the 7/29 note on 8/5) |
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> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices!
I'm not sure I have 75. I'd have to check, but I doubt I have more than 40. Part of my solution is to go heavy on the spices. I'd rather run out and have to buy more than throw them away. We burn through rosemary, basil, cumin, and sage pretty quick. Black peppercorns also go fast. The jar of cilantro goes slower because the fresh stuff is so much better. I have a little cannister of nutmeg, since I don't use that as often as many of the others. I tried that with cumin powder, since it seems to have a fairly short shelf life, but we use enough of it to avoid problems. If you are willing to grind your own, the whole spices last longer than the pre-ground powders. That said, my spice cabinet is the land of chaos. I have some things in jars, some in cans, and some in bags. I just used my last cinnamon stick yesterday, but my green cardamom still has plenty left. Here is where it went : Fragrant Rice 1 coffee cup full of Basmati rice 1.5 coffee cups of water 1 large dolop of butter 0.5 teaspoons of salt 1 cinnamon stick broken into small pieces 4 or 5 whole green cardamom pods 1 dash of black pepper Rinse rice a few times add all ingredients to a small coverable pot and stir bring all ingredients to a boil and boil until the water level drops below the rice stir carefully to mix butter and bury cinamon and cardamom reduce heat to low and cover cook 10 minutes remove cover and cook 10 more minutes The original directions (from the rice bag) says to keep it covered, but removing the lid dries things up a bit so the rice fluffs better when serving. Dean G. |
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On Mon, 08 Aug 2005 20:53:09 GMT,
" <> wrote: >As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >we've far outgrown that. > >I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! When my parents redid the kitchen last year, the spice collection spent several months in one of the kitchen drawers - all the spices were in small glass jars and if they'd stayed there permanently we would have labelled the lids. Only it was only temporary while we waited for a special order of spice racks - the inside of the pantry door is spice racks floor to ceiling and it holds about a hundred bottles. -- ~Karen aka Kajikit Crafts, cats, and chocolate - the three essentials of life http://www.kajikitscorner.com Online photo album - http://community.webshots.com/user/kajikit |
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On Mon 08 Aug 2005 03:02:16p, Melba's Jammin' wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> In article >, Wayne Boatwright > > wrote: >> > >> > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for >> > nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. >> > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it >> > in a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for >> > instance, I use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular >> > refrigerator. HTH, >> > Dee Dee >> >> That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? >> Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second >> refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. > > I think the 4-ounce jars (I've only seen them with the Kerr label for a > couple years) would be about right -- 1/2 cup. I buy most of mine at a > food co-op and when I need a tablespoon of ground cardamom once a year, > I can buy that one tablespoon and know it's fresh. That's probably adequate for most of my spices/herbs, although there are a few that i would probably use half-pint jars for since I use larger quantities more quickly. I haven't been there yet, but there's a new Penzey's in the Phoenix area. I should probably consider a bank loan before I go! :-) -- Wayne Boatwright *¿* ____________________________________________ Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day. Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974 |
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> wrote
> > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! I use the the lower two shelves of three kitchen cabinets, that's six shelves... they contain four Rubbermaid lazy susans, with spice bottles jammed into the spaces around the lazy susans. I have quite an eclectic collection of bottles/jars filled with spices. I'm sure I have way more than 75 containers, way more.... quick count; over 160. And this doesn't include all the spices I keep frozen. Sheldon |
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Wayne Boatwright wrote: > On Mon 08 Aug 2005 03:02:16p, Melba's Jammin' wrote in rec.food.cooking: > > > In article >, Wayne Boatwright > > > wrote: > >> > > >> > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for > >> > nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. > >> > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it > >> > in a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for > >> > instance, I use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular > >> > refrigerator. HTH, > >> > Dee Dee > >> > >> That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? > >> Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second > >> refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. > > > > I think the 4-ounce jars (I've only seen them with the Kerr label for a > > couple years) would be about right -- 1/2 cup. I buy most of mine at a > > food co-op and when I need a tablespoon of ground cardamom once a year, > > I can buy that one tablespoon and know it's fresh. > > That's probably adequate for most of my spices/herbs, although there are a > few that i would probably use half-pint jars for since I use larger > quantities more quickly. > > I haven't been there yet, but there's a new Penzey's in the Phoenix area. > I should probably consider a bank loan before I go! :-) > > -- > Wayne Boatwright *=BF* > ____________________________________________ > > Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day. > Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974 My spices are in various cans, bottles and bags. I bought about 30 small corked square green bottles last fall, and put the spices I use most often, ot that lend themselves to that kind of container, in those and labeled them with a blank label on the back for purchase date. I'd like to find more so I can get all my spices into someting nicer than the little cans. Most of them sit, the ones that fit, on 2 plastic lazy Susan's in the cabinet next to the stove. These days, I buy all the spices I can fresh ground at my Asian market. They're cheaper, fresher and I can buy as little or as much as I need so they don't go stale. Anybody got any small bottles they'd like to get rid of? |
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"Wayne Boatwright" wrote (much snipping) > I haven't been there yet, but there's a new Penzey's in the Phoenix area. > I should probably consider a bank loan before I go! :-) > > -- > Wayne Boatwright *¿* Nah! As my DH, Ed, says, Penzey's is one of the few stores where one can feel like one has just gone a screaming-wild shopping bender and the tab is $50. Of course, if you're going to restock your entire spice/herb/etc supply, perhaps then a loan is in order. Pam |
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In article >,
" <> wrote: > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! Several years ago I bought little stairstep risers at the hardware store. I put these in a cupboard in our kitchen that opens from front and back. The spices and dried herbs are sorted in rough alphabetical order. The most frequently used ones are in the front. I have two plastic storage bins, one to hold dried chiles and the other to hold Penzeys bags. Cindy -- C.J. Fuller Delete the obvious to email me |
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> wrote in message ... > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! http://www.stacksandstacks.com/html/...lay-system.htm + the shelf above for the "big bottles" Dimitri |
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On Mon, 08 Aug 2005 23:19:05 +0200, jake >
wrote: wrote: > >> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >> we've far outgrown that. >> >> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! > >You won't want to hear this.... once i ran into this problem, i checked >my spices for freshness and smell and many of them weren't that good any >more. So i tossed them. And decided not to put them on my grocery list >until i *knew* I'd be using it within a week ( I shop once a week). >That solved the storage problem. > >Told ya, you didn't want to hear this  Excellent advice. I'm going to work on this approach! Sue(tm) Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself! |
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"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote in message ... > wrote on 08 Aug 2005 in > rec.food.cooking > >> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >> we've far outgrown that. >> >> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! >> > > I use the small and large baby food bottles and store larger amounts > wrapped up well in the freezer. I have several extra baby food jar lids > in which I put holes so can shake the spices out if required. > Years ago I bought a whole box of what look like medical cream jars. Straight sided, about 2" in diameter with dark brown lids. I keep a lot of my spices in those and when we move next month all spices will go in a drawer in the frig or freezer. |
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> wrote: > >> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >> we've far outgrown that. >> >> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! When we moved house some years ago I bought dozens of Penzey's small glass jars; now I use those and the smaller plastic jars replacement spices come in. I have two shallow drawers fitted with cardboard dividers so they can all lie down on their backs with the labels on their tummies facing up. Felice |
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"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message ... > On Mon 08 Aug 2005 02:13:13p, Dee Randall wrote in rec.food.cooking: > >> >> > wrote in message >> ... >>> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >>> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >>> we've far outgrown that. >>> >>> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! >> >> All spices are in Ball glass jars, with the one-piece plastic lids, >> almost all wide-mouth, labeled with avery file labels or scotch-taped >> labels on the outside with dates purchased, and sometimes with an ending >> date that I have decided by researching how long to keep, sometimes >> where I've bought and the price. >> >> All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for >> nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. >> If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it in >> a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for instance, I >> use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular refrigerator. >> HTH, >> Dee Dee > > That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? > Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second > refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. > > > -- > Wayne Boatwright *¿* This is one of the first questions I'm going to ask when I get to the Pearly Gates: How do the packers of spices match the size of their cellophane/ziplock/packages that they sell to fit the standard jars. It is something that must have happened over the centuries with weights and measures and the spice trade. The various spices that I buy will generally come in various sizes according to price or usage. Jars I have on hand are 1/2 pint, pint, (perhaps 1-1/2 pt. if they are available) quarts and 1/2 gallons. Some of the smaller jars come in different shapes. I have found that the small jars with small lids are not worth bothering with because I don't want to bother with 2 sizes of lids. These plastic lids are fantastic. I got so tired of the rusting lids and dropping the two-piece sets of lids on the floor when opening. Back to my point, when they package spices, they all seem to fit one of these jars. You get so you can eyeball your jar to use. But I certainly use my share of the big as well as the small. I use the big jars for dried fruits, nuts, coffee after opening a bag, etc., using quarts for things like dried milk from packages, misos. In other words, most things I buy in packages, I open, label and put in my refrigerator. I use quart jars to put tea in after I've opened a box, not necessarily to put in the frig. but for freshness. I do the same with sugars, salts, put them in a big 1/2 gal. jars, peppers. I'd start with some 1/2 pt.- or- pt. and quarts and see where you are and go from there. It's just one of those things that makes my life a little easier. When I come home from a shopping spree, my items just sit on the table until I feel like spending some time putting them in jars. I do have a 4 big doors for spices on a open-door cabinet close in the kitchen where I keep spices that I use a lot, and do keep a few in my most-used frig for easy accessibilty. But I prefer to keep the bulk in the refrigerator. I just ordered today from Penzy's an 8 oz. bag of dried bell green peppers for this winter for soups and it will probably go in a quart jar if I'm lucky, an 8 oz bag of Vietnamese Cinnamon, an 8 oz. bag of Ceylon Cinnamon, 8 oz. bag of China Cinnamon & 4 oz. of Garam Masala. When I get them, they will all get repackaged. (I can't wait for my cinnamon - I've been out of the good kind -- have you read all the good things about cinnamon for health - even Dr. Rosenfeld was talking about it this weekend on TV.) My refrigerator was one darned mess before I bought the extra one. Any one that loves to cook is very lucky to be able to have a second refrigerator. I'll bet you'll be happy to get into your home. I know you are looking forward to it. Dee Dee |
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"Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message ... > On Mon 08 Aug 2005 03:02:16p, Melba's Jammin' wrote in rec.food.cooking: > >> In article >, Wayne Boatwright >> > wrote: >>> > >>> > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for >>> > nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. >>> > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it >>> > in a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for >>> > instance, I use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular >>> > refrigerator. HTH, >>> > Dee Dee >>> >>> That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? >>> Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second >>> refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. >> >> I think the 4-ounce jars (I've only seen them with the Kerr label for a >> couple years) would be about right -- 1/2 cup. I buy most of mine at a >> food co-op and when I need a tablespoon of ground cardamom once a year, >> I can buy that one tablespoon and know it's fresh. > > That's probably adequate for most of my spices/herbs, although there are a > few that i would probably use half-pint jars for since I use larger > quantities more quickly. > > I haven't been there yet, but there's a new Penzey's in the Phoenix area. > I should probably consider a bank loan before I go! :-) > > -- > Wayne Boatwright *¿* Wayne, I just wrote you that I had made an order today. To save yourself pain and suffering at the check-out lane, make yourself a list, wait a day, check it again, then wait several more days, check it again. Then you can go, but only if you stick mostly to your list. I used to be that way with extracts, you know, the little 1oz. jars that would cost $10-$18 a bottle. I'm glad I'm mostly over that 'habit.' Dee Dee |
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> wrote in message > ... > > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > > we've far outgrown that. > > > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! Due to a 'chimney' of pipes going up to the second floor in one corner of our kitchen, we ended up with a kitchen cabinet that has a door that's flush with the others but is only about 2" deep. I put shelves in it that are just tall enough to accomodate normal spice jars, plus one that's about 50% taller for odd-ball jars. |
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On Mon 08 Aug 2005 08:07:38p, Dee Randall wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> > "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message > ... >> On Mon 08 Aug 2005 02:13:13p, Dee Randall wrote in rec.food.cooking: >> >>> >>> > wrote in message >>> ... >>>> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >>>> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >>>> we've far outgrown that. >>>> >>>> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! >>> >>> All spices are in Ball glass jars, with the one-piece plastic lids, >>> almost all wide-mouth, labeled with avery file labels or scotch-taped >>> labels on the outside with dates purchased, and sometimes with an >>> ending date that I have decided by researching how long to keep, >>> sometimes where I've bought and the price. >>> >>> All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for >>> nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. >>> If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it >>> in a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for >>> instance, I use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular >>> refrigerator. HTH, >>> Dee Dee >> >> That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you using? >> Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have a second >> refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. >> >> >> -- >> Wayne Boatwright *¿* > > This is one of the first questions I'm going to ask when I get to the > Pearly Gates: How do the packers of spices match the size of their > cellophane/ziplock/packages that they sell to fit the standard jars. It > is something that must have happened over the centuries with weights and > measures and the spice trade. LOL! How true that is. > The various spices that I buy will generally come in various sizes > according to price or usage. Jars I have on hand are 1/2 pint, pint, > (perhaps 1-1/2 pt. if they are available) quarts and 1/2 gallons. Some > of the smaller jars come in different shapes. I have found that the > small jars with small lids are not worth bothering with because I don't > want to bother with 2 sizes of lids. These plastic lids are fantastic. I love those plastic lids and have been using them for a while now after opening jars of homemade jams, pickles, etc. I have both sizes for that purpose because I do like the small mouth jars for putting up certain food products, as the neck of the jar helps to hold the pieces of food down in the jar and under the liquid, sort of wedged in. I'm sure that the wide- mouth size would be better for the spice storage. > I got so tired of the rusting lids and dropping the two-piece sets of > lids on the floor when opening. Back to my point, when they package > spices, they all seem to fit one of these jars. You get so you can > eyeball your jar to use. But I certainly use my share of the big as well > as the small. I use the big jars for dried fruits, nuts, coffee after > opening a bag, etc., using quarts for things like dried milk from > packages, misos. In other words, most things I buy in packages, I > open, label and put in my refrigerator. I use quart jars to put tea in > after I've opened a box, not necessarily to put in the frig. but for > freshness. I do the same with sugars, salts, put them in a big 1/2 gal. > jars, peppers. I'd start with some 1/2 pt.- or- pt. and quarts and see > where you are and go from there. > It's just one of those things that makes my life a little easier. When > I come home from a shopping spree, my items just sit on the table until > I feel like spending some time putting them in jars. I do have a 4 big > doors for spices on a open-door cabinet close in the kitchen where I > keep spices that I use a lot, and do keep a few in my most-used frig for > easy accessibilty. But I prefer to keep the bulk in the refrigerator. I suspect that my needs will be somewhat different than yours, but the principle is certainly the same. When we moved from OH to AZ, I disposed of every foodstuff and spice in the kitchen. When we were finally reorganized, I placed a whopping order to Penzey's of 80+ items, all in their 4-1/4" spice jar size. As we've lived here I've found that my cooking has changed and simplified, and that I don't use half the variety of things I used to use. Of the spices/herbs that I do use, many I don't use all that often, but some I use all the time, which require replacement frequently and would benefit from buying larger quantities of. For years I've always had a deep freeze in addition to the usual kitchen refrigerator. My use of the freezer has also changed over time. I don't particularly care for long-term frozen meats and I detest frozen vegetables and only tolerate frozen fruits. However, I have developed a habit of keeping all my flours, meals, grains, etc. in the freezer, along with a small selection of frozen convenience foods. Because of that, we are disposing of the freezer before moving to the new house and, instead, going to have two relatively large refrigerators. That will give me a total of about 12 cu. ft. of freezer storage which is more than ample, and at least double the amount of refrigerator space. Many of the items presently stored in the freezer will do just as well stored in the refrigerator. I intend to significantly pare down the list of spices/herbs I plan on keeping, and will keep "spice jar size" quantities of often used spices at hand in a spice rack convenient to the food prep area. It is the remaining quantity of those spices, along with those I seldom use that I want to store in the refrigerator. > I just ordered today from Penzy's an 8 oz. bag of dried bell green > peppers for this winter for soups and it will probably go in a quart jar > if I'm lucky, an 8 oz bag of Vietnamese Cinnamon, an 8 oz. bag of Ceylon > Cinnamon, 8 oz. bag of China Cinnamon & 4 oz. of Garam Masala. When I > get them, they will all get repackaged. (I can't wait for my cinnamon - > I've been out of the good kind -- have you read all the good things > about cinnamon for health - even Dr. Rosenfeld was talking about it this > weekend on TV.) I absolutely love cinnamon, and usually have on hand all the types that Penzey's carries, although I am very low on most of them at present. No, I haven't read anything about the health benefits of cinnamon, but I probably use enough of it to reap the benefits. :-) > My refrigerator was one darned mess before I bought the extra one. Any > one that loves to cook is very lucky to be able to have a second > refrigerator. Yes, I agree, and am looking forward to that second fridge. > I'll bet you'll be happy to get into your home. I know you are looking > forward to it. > Dee Dee Hehe, yes we're chomping at the bit. While very nice, this tiny rental house is so small that we trip over each other and the cats, just trying to get from one room to another. :-) Thanks for all your comments, Dee. It's very helpful! -- Wayne Boatwright *¿* ____________________________________________ Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day. Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974 --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 0532-0, 08/08/2005 Tested on: 8/8/2005 9:17:32 PM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2005 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com |
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On Mon 08 Aug 2005 08:11:32p, Dee Randall wrote in rec.food.cooking:
> > "Wayne Boatwright" > wrote in message > ... >> On Mon 08 Aug 2005 03:02:16p, Melba's Jammin' wrote in >> rec.food.cooking: >> >>> In article >, Wayne >>> Boatwright > wrote: >>>> > >>>> > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator >>>> > for nuts and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. >>>> > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of >>>> > it in a small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for >>>> > instance, I use a lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular >>>> > refrigerator. HTH, >>>> > Dee Dee >>>> >>>> That sounds like a great idea, Dee. What size ball jars are you >>>> using? Pint? Half-pint? When we move to our new house we will have >>>> a second refrigerator to be used for similar purposes. >>> >>> I think the 4-ounce jars (I've only seen them with the Kerr label for >>> a couple years) would be about right -- 1/2 cup. I buy most of mine >>> at a food co-op and when I need a tablespoon of ground cardamom once a >>> year, I can buy that one tablespoon and know it's fresh. >> >> That's probably adequate for most of my spices/herbs, although there >> are a few that i would probably use half-pint jars for since I use >> larger quantities more quickly. >> >> I haven't been there yet, but there's a new Penzey's in the Phoenix >> area. I should probably consider a bank loan before I go! :-) >> >> -- >> Wayne Boatwright *¿* > > Wayne, I just wrote you that I had made an order today. To save > yourself pain and suffering at the check-out lane, make yourself a list, > wait a day, check it again, then wait several more days, check it again. > Then you can go, but only if you stick mostly to your list. I used to > be that way with extracts, you know, the little 1oz. jars that would > cost $10-$18 a bottle. I'm glad I'm mostly over that 'habit.' > Dee Dee Good advice, Dee. My first foray to the store will really only be for replenishing my most commonly used spices. I think I can control that one. :-) After we're settled in the new house, I will be working from a list to replace lesser used items. I do get into trouble with wanting to try all the new blends, etc., and when buying vanilla. I can't seem to get enought of it and, of course, I have to have the double-vanilla. :-) I promise I'll be careful! -- Wayne Boatwright *¿* ____________________________________________ Give me a smart idiot over a stupid genius any day. Sam Goldwyn, 1882-1974 --- avast! Antivirus: Outbound message clean. Virus Database (VPS): 0532-0, 08/08/2005 Tested on: 8/8/2005 9:24:32 PM avast! - copyright (c) 1988-2005 ALWIL Software. http://www.avast.com |
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In article om>,
"salgud" > wrote: > Anybody got any small bottles they'd like to get rid of? Check Cost Plus World Markets or Pier I. -- -Barb, <http://www.jamlady.eboard.com> 8/3/05 New York-Vermont tab (a couple pictures added to the 7/29 note on 8/5) |
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We put wire shelves on the inside of two lower-cabinet doors. 6
shelves, each holds about 16-20 jars, depending on size. I finally got smart in my dotage, and got some small stickers to put on top with the name of the spice, since the back row(s) are too hard to see through the others. (g) maxine in ri |
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" <> writes:
> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! I have three wooden wine boxes that I cut down and bit and added small wooden shelves. Each holds two rows of 12 regular spice bottles, plus a short row of 12 of the small plastic Penzey's jars. Held onto the wall with 3m adhesive strips so I don't have to put all sorts of holes in my pretty wall... Using some of the obscure spices[1] before they go stale is the biggest challenge. [1] Pink peppercorns, sumac powder, zatar, and annato powder being items that I've had to dig deep into my recipe files to use... -- Richard W Kaszeta http://www.kaszeta.org/rich |
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Dee Randall wrote: > > wrote in message > ... > > As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > > we've far outgrown that. > > > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! > > All spices are in Ball glass jars, with the one-piece plastic lids, almost > all wide-mouth, labeled with avery file labels or scotch-taped labels on the > outside with dates purchased, and sometimes with an ending date that I have > decided by researching how long to keep, sometimes where I've bought and the > price. > > All are kept in a separate refrigerator. I use this refrigerator for nuts > and other things I don't use everyday. It's full. > If I buy a large quantity of something I use a lot, I keep some of it in a > small jar in a cabinet or regular refrigerator nearby; for instance, I use a > lot of cumin seeds, so I keep some in my regular refrigerator. > HTH, > Dee Dee I have a series of narrow racks (plastic, with a front guard of wire) mounted on the inside of my pantry door - they came in single units, so they are farther apart or closer together, depending on the spice container. I generally use small original containers, either cans or rounds. Spices get dull quickly, so I don't buy large amounts. This keeps them away from heat and the original containers that are not clear glass will keep them fresher. I'm in the market for some new racks, though, as the plastic backs have become brittle and split away from the screws that hold them onto the wood...haven't found anything just like them so far. N. |
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Cindy Fuller wrote:
> My great uncle made me a wooden lazy susan many years ago. This sits on > the dining room table, and holds salt shaker, pepper grinders, EVOO, and > red wine, sherry, and balsamic vinegars. These are the vinegars we're > most likely to use at the table. The rice, cider, white, and white wine > vinegars (more likely to be used in cooking or marinating) are on a > narrow wire cart that sits next to the stove. The cooking oils are on > this cart as well. > My parents had a lazy susan corner cupboard, and out experience was about the same as everyone else who had that style of closet. Inevitably, someone would close it or spin it a little too hard and cars and cans would go flying, most often falling into the back corner from which it was a major PITA to recover them. I have a double cupboard over the stove where I keep coffee, tea, and some baking supplies. To the tight of the stove I have a small single cupboard where I keep most of my herbs and spices. There is no great system for organizing them. Tall bottles of sauces go on the bottom because that is the only shelf where they fit. They share that shelf with the most commonly used herbs and spices. Most of them are in large containers. The two shelves above are for the less frequently and seldom used ingredients respectively. If I am need something I rarely use I automatically check the top shelf. It works for me. I also have a combination mug rack / spice rack beside the sink. It will hold a dozen large mugs and about 20 spice bottles. Somehow I am able to remember which are up there. A few yeas ago I had a problem. My sister in law came to house and dog sit for us for a week. She is much more organized than my wife and I are, or has a greater need for organization. She arranged my spices and herbs, my baking supplies and everything in my pantry. It was neat, and there was a system to it, but it wasn't my system. After a few weeks of searching for things they eventually fell back into my old system. |
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"Dave Smith" wrote: > A few yeas ago I had a problem. My sister in law came to house and dog sit > for us for a week. She is much more organized than my wife and I are, or > has > a greater need for organization. She arranged my spices and herbs, my > baking > supplies and everything in my pantry. It was neat, and there was a system > to > it, but it wasn't my system. After a few weeks of searching for things > they > eventually fell back into my old system. There's a special place in hell for people who rearrange other people's kitchens. Get another dog-sitter! Felice |
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One time on Usenet, "Felice Friese" > said:
> "Dave Smith" wrote: > > A few yeas ago I had a problem. My sister in law came to house and dog sit > > for us for a week. She is much more organized than my wife and I are, or > > has > > a greater need for organization. She arranged my spices and herbs, my > > baking > > supplies and everything in my pantry. It was neat, and there was a system > > to > > it, but it wasn't my system. After a few weeks of searching for things > > they > > eventually fell back into my old system. > > There's a special place in hell for people who rearrange other people's > kitchens. Get another dog-sitter! Argh! How invasive can you get -- to re-arrange someone else's kitchen?? I'm sure her heart was in the right place, but that's a major no-no... -- Jani in WA (S'mee) ~ mom, VidGamer, novice cook, dieter ~ |
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" <> wrote:
> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack > on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now > we've far outgrown that. > > I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! I like to use metal tins --- mostly small (1/4 pound) ones, but a few larger ones for things like bay leaves and whole cinnamon. I get mine from an art supply store in Seattle. I prefer these over spice jars because I can either just grab however much I want with my fingers or, if I want a measured amount I can actually fit a measuring spoon into the tin. The ones I use most often are stored on magnetic strips attached to the outside of a cabinet, the rest are (for now) just stored on shelves in the same cabinet. ---jkb -- "People in stucco houses shouldn't throw quiche." -- Sonny Crocket |
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Flylady helped me learn this approach (www.flylady.net). The philosophy
has been spilling into other areas of my life and that is relaxing me. Applying it in the kitchen is hardest, though. I don't want to throw unused items away there. One day, I'll know I'll come across a recipe that I'll use the ravioli cutter for .... |
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"Brian Huntley" wrote... > Due to a 'chimney' of pipes going up to the second floor in one corner > of our kitchen, we ended up with a kitchen cabinet that has a door > that's flush with the others but is only about 2" deep. I put shelves > in it that are just tall enough to accomodate normal spice jars, plus > one that's about 50% taller for odd-ball jars. > Wow, talk about making a good thing from bad. Nice. Pam |
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"pjjehg" > wrote in message ... > > "Brian Huntley" wrote... >> Due to a 'chimney' of pipes going up to the second floor in one corner >> of our kitchen, we ended up with a kitchen cabinet that has a door >> that's flush with the others but is only about 2" deep. I put shelves >> in it that are just tall enough to accomodate normal spice jars, plus >> one that's about 50% taller for odd-ball jars. >> > > Wow, talk about making a good thing from bad. Nice. > > Pam Doesn't it get too warm in there for spices etc. I was always told to keep them in a cool place. The cooler the better. MoM |
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In article >,
Goomba38 > wrote: wrote: >> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >> we've far outgrown that. >> >> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! > >Freezer door. The entire inside door is my spice rack. Eye level, >protects the quality and spacious. Works great for meeeeeeeeeee More to the point -- what the hell do you *do* with 75 spices? (I've got about 20 in the fridge door rack, and use about 10.) Cheers, Phred. -- LID |
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"Richard Kaszeta" > wrote in message ... > " <> writes: > >> As we cook more, our spice collection has grown from the little rack >> on the wall, to a "honeycomb" type cubby system in a cabinet, and now >> we've far outgrown that. >> >> I'm interested to know how you guys store upwards of 75 spices! > > I have three wooden wine boxes that I cut down and bit and added small > wooden > shelves. Each holds two rows of 12 regular spice bottles, plus a > short row of 12 of the small plastic Penzey's jars. Held onto the > wall with 3m adhesive strips so I don't have to put all sorts of holes > in my pretty wall... > > Using some of the obscure spices[1] before they go stale is the biggest > challenge. > > [1] Pink peppercorns, sumac powder, zatar, and annato powder being > items that I've had to dig deep into my recipe files to use... > > -- > Richard W Kaszeta At the Asian/Indian/Hispanic markets, some of these spices are so cheap that if you think you "MAY" use them, why not pick them up and store them if you have room. You will have them handy if you need to use them and will not restrict your 'creativity' or making that recipe you wish you had the ingredients for. When you buy it, decide what date you want to throw this away and wirte it on the jar. Money well spent if you cook a lot. One thing I've not done lately is look at some of the due dates. I paid what I think is good money for 6 cans of Goya pidgeon peas, they were out of date by 4 years! Dee Dee |
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