Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
(whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
than ground.

It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
ordering.

Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
They're very nice to me.

nancy

In article >,
"Nancy Young" > wrote:

> Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> than ground.
>
> It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
> ordering.
>
> Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
> when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
> They're very nice to me.
>
> nancy

Keep the whole cumin -- toast the seeds briefly in a skillet and
grind them yourself (or mash in a mortar/molcajete). Much better
than pre-ground.

I ordered "cinnamon AND sugar" when I wanted cinnamon. I never thought
anyone would sell such a thing since it so easy to make it. I was so mad
that I didn't notice!

Lynne

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> than ground.
>
> It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
> ordering.
>
> Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
> when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
> They're very nice to me.
>
> nancy
>

On 2006-08-06, Nancy Young > wrote:

> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> than ground.

You're better off. Freshly ground cumin is so much more flavorful and
fragrant than pre-ground, which degrades rapidly. Get yourself a
whirly blade coffee grinder or a good mortar/pestle and buy all your
spices whole.

Here's my way of dealing with whole spices and dormant
frustrations:

http://www.importfood.com/mortarpestle.html

nb

On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:34:23 -0500, notbob > wrote:

>On 2006-08-06, Nancy Young > wrote:
>
>> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
>> than ground.
>
>You're better off. Freshly ground cumin is so much more flavorful and
>fragrant than pre-ground, which degrades rapidly. Get yourself a
>whirly blade coffee grinder or a good mortar/pestle and buy all your
>spices whole.

Any recommendation for a coffee grinder to use as a spice grinder?

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

In article >,
(Curly Sue) wrote:

> On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:34:23 -0500, notbob > wrote:
>
> >On 2006-08-06, Nancy Young > wrote:
> >
> >> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> >> than ground.
> >
> >You're better off. Freshly ground cumin is so much more flavorful and
> >fragrant than pre-ground, which degrades rapidly. Get yourself a
> >whirly blade coffee grinder or a good mortar/pestle and buy all your
> >spices whole.
>
> Any recommendation for a coffee grinder to use as a spice grinder?
>
> Sue(tm)
> Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

Braun's are good. There's a Cuisinart grinder that has larger
capacity and a removable (and dishwashable) grinder compartment
-- but I find it not as good at getting a uniform fine grind.

Mortars and pestles work very well, actually. (Though when I
put that or a molcajete on my xmas list a couple of years ago
I wasn't bargaining on the _huge_ and heavy one that I got!
That's so monstrous I seldom use it, especially since I usually
only want a few tablespoons at most out of single use.)

On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 19:01:56 GMT, (Curly
Sue) wrote:

>On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:34:23 -0500, notbob > wrote:
>
>>On 2006-08-06, Nancy Young > wrote:
>>
>>> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
>>> than ground.
>>
>>You're better off. Freshly ground cumin is so much more flavorful and
>>fragrant than pre-ground, which degrades rapidly. Get yourself a
>>whirly blade coffee grinder or a good mortar/pestle and buy all your
>>spices whole.
>
>Any recommendation for a coffee grinder to use as a spice grinder?
>

A Braun or any other brand of that type. Look at yard sales and
thrift stores. I don't think I have paid more that $4.00 any of the 5
or 6 that I have.
--
Susan N.

"Moral indignation is in most cases two percent moral,
48 percent indignation, and 50 percent envy."
Vittorio De Sica, Italian movie director (1901-1974

Curly Sue wrote:
>
> Any recommendation for a coffee grinder to use as a spice grinder?

Don't get the Bodum. It's underpowered and
the one I had emitted ozone (a sign that there
was arcing at the motor brushes -- therefore
it was unlikely to last long). I gave it away.

"notbob" > wrote

> On 2006-08-06, Nancy Young > wrote:
>
>> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
>> than ground.
>
> You're better off. Freshly ground cumin is so much more flavorful and
> fragrant than pre-ground, which degrades rapidly. Get yourself a
> whirly blade coffee grinder or a good mortar/pestle and buy all your
> spices whole.

Michael said the same thing, and I do agree. Next time.

> Here's my way of dealing with whole spices and dormant
> frustrations:
>
> http://www.importfood.com/mortarpestle.html

Thanks for the link. For some reason, years and years ago when I
didn't have 2 nickels to rub together I just *had* to have a mortar
and pestle. I guess I thought it would come in handy to make the
blue box mac n cheese I lived on. My ex finally got me one, who knows
what happened to it. Probably time I replaced it.

Now, about those dormant frustrations of yours ...

nancy

Nancy Young wrote on 06 Aug 2006 in rec.food.cooking

> Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> than ground.
>
> It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
> ordering.
>
> Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
> when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
> They're very nice to me.
>
> nancy
>
>

I used to do that too...now I keep a ongoing order with penzeys...when I
need something I add it to the list and when I get enough stuff to make a
reasonable order I click the button and then they have it. Only thing
I'll on occasion forget my password to get into it.

--


Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect

-Alan

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote

> I used to do that too...now I keep a ongoing order with penzeys...when I
> need something I add it to the list and when I get enough stuff to make a
> reasonable order I click the button and then they have it. Only thing
> I'll on occasion forget my password to get into it.

Thanks, Alan, great idea. I didn't know they had that feature.

nancy

Nancy Young > wrote:
>Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
>in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
>(whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
>than ground.

Best reason to get a mortar & pestle EVER!

No. Seriously. It's good therapy, and the flavor is
better. And the seeds are more self-preserving than the
powder is, so it lasts a lot longer. And it gives you
more textural options. All win, no lose.

>It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
>ordering.

It's the hypnotic allure of Penzey's. You're spice-struck.

Try some sage and savory in your scrambled eggs. Just
a pinch. Just try it. It won't hurt you...

>Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
>when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
>They're very nice to me.

The monkey on your back always is.

--Blair

In article >,
says...
> In article >,
> "Nancy Young" > wrote:
>
> > Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> > in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
> > (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> > than ground.
> >
> > It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
> > ordering.
> >
> > Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
> > when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
> > They're very nice to me.
> >
> > nancy
>
> Keep the whole cumin -- toast the seeds briefly in a skillet and
> grind them yourself (or mash in a mortar/molcajete). Much better
> than pre-ground.
>

I heartily second this recommendation. A small blender-style coffee
grinder, $10-15, dedicated to spice grinding, is a terrific addition to
any kitchen. Cumin and coriander seeds benefit greatly from the
toast/grind routine. You use it with many other whole seeds such as
fennel, caraway, various peppercorns (including Szechuan), and so on.
Grind raw rice or stale bread to clean the grinder.

--
Peter Aitken
Visit my recipe and kitchen myths pages at www.pgacon.com/cooking.htm

Oh pshaw, on Sun 06 Aug 2006 10:59:54a, Nancy Young meant to say...

> Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> than ground.
>
> It's sad, what is my problem. I don't do that with other catalog
> ordering.
>
> Luckily they are absolutely flawless about fixing my screwups
> when I email them, usually within minutes of placing my order.
> They're very nice to me.
>
> nancy
>
>

I never buy ground cumin. I grind them in the mortar or spice grinder.
Sometimes I roast them beforehand.

--
Wayne Boatwright
__________________________________________________

ERROR 103: Dead mouse in hard drive.

"Nancy Young" > writes:

> Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> in some way. Usually it's that I completely forget that I need
> (whatever). Today I managed to order whole cumin rather
> than ground.

Better than the other way around. You can grind whole cumin. You
can't glue ground cumin back together.

Get a mortar and pestle if you don't have one. for the amounts of
cumin usually required, it's no trouble to grind, and you'll have much
better flavor.

Rich (who buys most of his spices whole, except for anatto, which
makes a real mess of my grinder)

--
Richard W Kaszeta

http://www.kaszeta.org/rich

On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:15:44 -0400, "Nancy Young" >
wrote:

>
>"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote
>
>> I used to do that too...now I keep a ongoing order with penzeys...when I
>> need something I add it to the list and when I get enough stuff to make a
>> reasonable order I click the button and then they have it. Only thing
>> I'll on occasion forget my password to get into it.
>
>Thanks, Alan, great idea. I didn't know they had that feature.
>
>nancy
>
How do you do an ongoing order with them?
I should do that...

Although, I am driving back from California (here for a few days)
through Phoenix....so maybe I can make a stop at the Penzeys in
Scottsdale. I always forget something though..

Christine

"Christine Dabney" > wrote

> On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:15:44 -0400, "Nancy Young" >
> wrote:

>>"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote
>>
>>> I used to do that too...now I keep a ongoing order with penzeys...

>>Thanks, Alan, great idea. I didn't know they had that feature.

> How do you do an ongoing order with them?
> I should do that...

When I was ordering I saw something like that. I don't remember
ever seeing that before today.

> Although, I am driving back from California (here for a few days)
> through Phoenix....so maybe I can make a stop at the Penzeys in
> Scottsdale. I always forget something though..

Heh, I know the feeling. Start making a list now.

nancy

Nancy Young wrote on 06 Aug 2006 in rec.food.cooking

>
> "Christine Dabney" > wrote
>
> > On Sun, 6 Aug 2006 17:15:44 -0400, "Nancy Young"
>
> > wrote:
>
> >>"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote
> >>
> >>> I used to do that too...now I keep a ongoing order with penzeys...
>
> >>Thanks, Alan, great idea. I didn't know they had that feature.
>
> > How do you do an ongoing order with them?
> > I should do that...
>
> When I was ordering I saw something like that. I don't remember
> ever seeing that before today.
>
> > Although, I am driving back from California (here for a few days)
> > through Phoenix....so maybe I can make a stop at the Penzeys in
> > Scottsdale. I always forget something though..
>
> Heh, I know the feeling. Start making a list now.
>
> nancy
>
>
>

You gotta enter 'My penzeys' on their website then use the save cart and
recurring order option...kinda like the amazon wish list except only you
can see it, because the 'My penzeys' option requires a password. Using
the saved cart option allows you to add stuff you'd like to try and stuff
you need as you're running low or think of it and then actually order
when you can either afford the stuff or really really low. This allows
you to review and modify your order ahead of actually ordering.

The only boggle is you need to name each 'shopping cart' (list of stuff)
and sometimes 3 weeks later or so... I forget what I named the list. And
the lists of stuff (or shopping carts) aren't displayed unless you can
name them.

Since I order from penzeys 2 to 3 times a year I start a new cart right
after they ship the previous cart... so it can be a month or more before
I get back to the 'new' cart (list) I started.

Curse you crappy memmory! (my attempt at a Charlie Brown-like rant!)

--


Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect

-Alan

"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote

> Since I order from penzeys 2 to 3 times a year I start a new cart right
> after they ship the previous cart... so it can be a month or more before
> I get back to the 'new' cart (list) I started.
>
> Curse you crappy memmory! (my attempt at a Charlie Brown-like rant!)

Heh, I keep little cheat sheets here by my pc. Has all my credit card
info, passwords, etc. How else can a person keep track?

nancy

You know their cinnamon sugar mixture is actually quite tasty. Like
many of you, I thought who in the world couldn't make cinnamon sugar??
I believe they use their vanilla sugar, and a couple types of the
cinnamon for this. Honestly, its decent stuff.
Nancy Young wrote:

StephanieM wrote:
> You know their cinnamon sugar mixture is actually quite tasty. Like
> many of you, I thought who in the world couldn't make cinnamon sugar??
> I believe they use their vanilla sugar, and a couple types of the
> cinnamon for this. Honestly, its decent stuff.

I'm a convert to their Vietnamese Cinnamon, but I'd still not buy some
prepared cinnamon-sugar mix.

Nancy Young wrote:
> Honestly, every time I order from them I mess up
> in some way.

I thought for sure you were going to tell a story about someone who
didn't know what pepper or garlic was...

-L.

On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:10:32 GMT, (TammyM) wrote:

>On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:34:23 -0500, notbob > wrote:

>>Here's my way of dealing with whole spices and dormant
>>frustrations:
>>
>>http://www.importfood.com/mortarpestle.html
>
>I have one of these Thai sets that Kay Hartman bought for me. It's
>hernia-inducingly heavy. But the pestle (or is it the mortar? I get
>'em mixed up) makes one helluva fine weapon! One good smackaroonie
>with that and someone's gonna get planted FAST!
>
>TammyM, deceptively deadly :-)

What size do you have? I am thinking of ordering one of these when I
have the cash for it.

Christine

Nancy Young > wrote:
>
>"Mr Libido Incognito" > wrote
>
>> Since I order from penzeys 2 to 3 times a year I start a new cart right
>> after they ship the previous cart... so it can be a month or more before
>> I get back to the 'new' cart (list) I started.
>>
>> Curse you crappy memmory! (my attempt at a Charlie Brown-like rant!)
>
>Heh, I keep little cheat sheets here by my pc. Has all my credit card
>info, passwords, etc. How else can a person keep track?

I make lists on my PDA phone as I start to run low
of things.

Some things can stay on the list for weeks, so I can
snag them when I go into the right grocery and they're
on sale.

Penzey's stuff, though, needs to be basketed up, so
I don't end up having to drive over there every two
weeks. That cuts down on the time, gas, and impulse-buy
expense.

I figure I have a six-month supply of everything right now.
Some in bottles and backup in the freezer.

--Blair

Christine Dabney > wrote:
>Although, I am driving back from California (here for a few days)
>through Phoenix....so maybe I can make a stop at the Penzeys in
>Scottsdale. I always forget something though..

Route-planning tip to save a several miles
of possibly jammed-up freeway*:

Take the I-10 through downtown to the 202 East.

Take the 202 East to the 143.

Then the 143 north until it dead-ends at McDowell Road.

Go East (right) 4 miles, enjoying the buttes and the car
lots and the mall construction, then turn north (left)
on Hayden.

1.5 miles up the road, on the left, on the SW corner of
Hayden and Osborn, tucked in the back corner, is Penzey's.

Go in. Shake and open every sniff-tester. Bliss out every
fifth item (and those sniff-testers are old and worn out,
so imagine how the fresh stuff in the bags and bottles will
be...). Buy one of everything (you know you want two),
then go out and make sure you have room in your U-haul
(8 cubic feet ought to do it...) for your stuff.

Go south on Hayden 0.5 mile, then East (left) on Thomas
for 1 mile.

Head south (right) on the 101 for 13 miles. That distance
is important, because the 202 is a loop and you'll cross it
first after only 3.5 miles and you don't want to turn there.

Take the 202 West (right) 4.5 miles then the I-10 East
(which is really going South there, so look for the exits
to Tucson) and you'll be back on your way to the Lone Star
Beer State.

--Blair

* - route to take if you're nowhere near rush-hour:

Take the 10 to the 202 East to the 101 North to Thomas, go
West to Hayden and North to Osborn and Penzey's. Then go
south to Thomas and east to the 101 south 13 miles to the
202 West to the I-10 East (south) to Tucson and Florida
and most points in between.

If it's near rush-hour, the 202 East will be a parking
lot and the 101 south will be too. You can't avoid the
101 south, but you can use the McDowell shortcut to avoid
the 202 East. McDowell is shorter but maybe not quicker
when the freeways are flowing.

Ooh! Alton's making bread. Gotta go.

On Tue, 08 Aug 2006 02:02:26 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > wrote:


>1.5 miles up the road, on the left, on the SW corner of
>Hayden and Osborn, tucked in the back corner, is Penzey's.
>
>Go in. Shake and open every sniff-tester. Bliss out every
>fifth item (and those sniff-testers are old and worn out,
>so imagine how the fresh stuff in the bags and bottles will
>be...). Buy one of everything (you know you want two),
>then go out and make sure you have room in your U-haul
>(8 cubic feet ought to do it...) for your stuff.

Oh, I know where it is..and I have been there several times already.
They like to see me coming, as I routinely buy about $100 worth.

Doubt I will do that on this trip back though..as I am short on funds
these days. Maybe 1 or 2 jars of stuff I am running low on, like the
smoked paprika and the Trinidad seasoning mix.

However, I need to get to Lee-Lee on this trip through town...they
have some tea I really like. I stock up when I come through town.

And...I don't go the southern route back to NM...I go 17 up to
Flagstaff and then over on 40. As far as I know, it is a faster
route, but I could be wrong on that.

Christine

"Blair P. Houghton" > wrote

> Nancy Young > wrote:

>>Heh, I keep little cheat sheets here by my pc. Has all my credit card
>>info, passwords, etc. How else can a person keep track?
>
> I make lists on my PDA phone as I start to run low
> of things.

That would work. I have this thing for paper and pens,
I write things down.

> Some things can stay on the list for weeks, so I can
> snag them when I go into the right grocery and they're
> on sale.

That's a great organizing tool for that.

> Penzey's stuff, though, needs to be basketed up, so
> I don't end up having to drive over there every two
> weeks. That cuts down on the time, gas, and impulse-buy
> expense.
>
> I figure I have a six-month supply of everything right now.
> Some in bottles and backup in the freezer.

I've learned, don't just *think* you need peppercorns, go look.
At one point I had 2 whole bags of them and part of another.
That's a lot of peppercorns.

nancy

Just saw the promo on the Travel Channel during his show.

--Blair

Christine Dabney > wrote:
>Doubt I will do that on this trip back though..as I am short on funds
>these days. Maybe 1 or 2 jars of stuff I am running low on, like the
>smoked paprika and the Trinidad seasoning mix.
>
>However, I need to get to Lee-Lee on this trip through town...they
>have some tea I really like. I stock up when I come through town.

Also just a mile off that leg of the 101.

Ooh! As long as you're doing the 101 corridor splurgation,
get up to Frank Lloyd Wright boulevard and go to the
Callebaut store. It's on the SW corner of FLW and the 101,
right next to the TOGO's.

Your chocoholicism will thank you. I recommend the truffles
and the pastilles, but you could eat the floor tiles and it'd
be the best chocolate you ever had.

>And...I don't go the southern route back to NM...I go 17 up to
>Flagstaff and then over on 40. As far as I know, it is a faster
>route, but I could be wrong on that.

You're right. I forgot about Albuquirk. The 10 through
Tucson would be totally wrong.

You can actually make better time by taking the 87 through
Payson. It's a diagonal northwest, and half of it is
high-speed four-lane, but it's not all four-lane all
the way to the 40 yet, and it's kind of mountain twisty,
not interstate, so if you're towing something or just
leery of dropoffs on rollercoaster hairpins and people
who go way too fast, stick to the interstate.

If you go Lee-Lee first, Penzey's second, Callebaut third,
you'll be up in a good position to take Shea over to
the 87.

--Blair

On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 14:18:38 -0700, Christine Dabney
> wrote:

>On Mon, 07 Aug 2006 21:10:32 GMT, (TammyM) wrote:
>
>>On Sun, 06 Aug 2006 13:34:23 -0500, notbob > wrote:
>
>>>Here's my way of dealing with whole spices and dormant
>>>frustrations:
>>>
>>>http://www.importfood.com/mortarpestle.html
>>
>>I have one of these Thai sets that Kay Hartman bought for me. It's
>>hernia-inducingly heavy. But the pestle (or is it the mortar? I get
>>'em mixed up) makes one helluva fine weapon! One good smackaroonie
>>with that and someone's gonna get planted FAST!
>>
>>TammyM, deceptively deadly :-)
>
>What size do you have? I am thinking of ordering one of these when I
>have the cash for it.

It's 8", Christine. Kay bought it at one of the Thai shops she goes
to in L.A. I keep it on the "island" in the kitchen between the KA
and the scales. I keep it there not because I use it terribly often,
I just don't like to heft it :-)

TammyM, total wuss

Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>Christine Dabney > wrote:
>>route, but I could be wrong on that.
>
>You can actually make better time by taking the 87 through
>Payson. It's a diagonal northwest, and half of it is

Sorry. Not northwest. Northeast.

--Blair

On Wed, 09 Aug 2006 02:57:26 GMT, Blair P. Houghton > wrote:

>Blair P. Houghton > wrote:
>>Christine Dabney > wrote:
>>>route, but I could be wrong on that.
>>
>>You can actually make better time by taking the 87 through
>>Payson. It's a diagonal northwest, and half of it is
>
>Sorry. Not northwest. Northeast.
>
> --Blair

How much time will it cut off? This is very tempting...

I was looking at the map today..and I see a few variations on that
route, both of which come out on I-40. One comes out a bit farther
east on I-40.

Christine

Love their shops, but you know I have been ordering from them since 95.
Sometimes its easier to just order online. I take the empty bottles
and place them on my fridge when I run out so I can remember to replace
them.

Christine Dabney > wrote:
>How much time will it cut off? This is very tempting...
>
>I was looking at the map today..and I see a few variations on that
>route, both of which come out on I-40. One comes out a bit farther
>east on I-40.

According to Google Earth, Scottsdale to Holbrook is

200 miles, 3:35 through Payson and

241 miles, 3:22 through Flagstaff.

But they've never driven it. People don't slow down
much going to Payson. They go scary fast.

From Payson to Holbrook, though, there's some two-lane
parts in the hills and one RV will kill your time.
Regardless, I find it ridiculous that the machine says
that a 41-mile savings costs 13 minutes. The Payson
route will be a little quicker. The dangerous times
are rush hour (traffic leaving Scottsdale going to
Fountain hills will be thick) and Friday afternoons
(everyone running from their jobs in the heat to their
cabins in the hills)

As for Payson itself, I wouldn't use any expectation of
quaintness to draw you to that route. It's more like a
transported suburb than a funky mountain town.

If you don't get back to the 40 at Holbrook, your only
choice is to take a route that's about the same distance
and will be almost all hilly two-lane, so it'll be slower
and more work.

--Blair