The more I cook, the more tips I learn on proper ways to store and prepare spices. I’m passing on some of these lessons, which have made my cooking (and eating) an even more enjoyable
experience.
1) Not
storing them in airtight containers
Some of the most beautiful
sights I see when I go to open markets are the spices out on display, usually
in loose mounds displaying their full array of color. These gorgeous looking
spices are the ones you should stay away from. Spices should be kept in
airtight containers, and not in the open air, plastic bags or the like. Air and changes in temperature cause the spices to lose some of their potency
– loose spices are also not very sanitary if you think about it. Airtight glass or tin
jars are ideal for storage.
2) Not
storing them where you can see them
Have you ever decided to
organize your kitchen cabinets and realize that you have not one, but three
different bottles of dried rosemary?! I have! This is what happens when you
can’t see the spices you have on hand. My advice is simple: keep them ALL in
the same place, and make them all visible at a glance. No need to alphabetize
them or anything.
Are you like many city
dwellers and short on space? Buy a clear
storage container where you can lay them out flat and view them at a glance
when you start cooking.
3) Buying
them already ground
Do yourself a favor and get
a spice
grinder. When you purchase spices whole, their fragrant oils remain intact
and potent for much longer than if you buy them already ground. It’s also
easier to toast spices to release those oils if they are whole. Try to grind
the spices as close to when you’ll be using them as possible. If you have a
sensitive nose for these things, you will notice a difference in the flavor of
your foods – if you don’t, someone you cook for most likely will.
4) Paying
premiums for lower quality brands
Stop buying your spices at places
like Key Food, C-Town and other discount stores – just stop it! Even their gourmet sections aren't as high a quality as what you can get through a spice purveyor, and are usually more expensive. Check out
penzeys.com or thespicehouse.com for great quality spices at lower costs. Watch
out for sales and specials and plan your spice shopping out in advance. To take advantage of free shipping promotions, note when you are running low on some spices and then do a bulk order for what you know
you’ll need.
5) Buying
too much when you know you only use a little
You’ll notice I have a large
array of spices, but most of the bottles are in ¼ cup portions. This is because
the spices that I don’t use as often can go stale if stored for too long.
Buying them in smaller quantities saves me storage space and helps guarantee that the spice will not sit for very long. Sure, it’s .20 cents
cheaper per ounce if you buy the 1 cup bottle, but are you really going to use
that much fennel seed?
6) Not
checking the expiration dates
This can be a little
misleading because spices don’t actually spoil – they just go stale and lose
their potency. You can use a teaspoon of thyme for a recipe and not have it
taste how it’s supposed to if you’ve had that bottle of thyme for five years.
If possible, check the expiration dates before you purchase them.
On the other hand, if you
have whole spices, you can extend their potency by lightly toasting them just
before grinding them.
7) Buying
pre-mixed seasonings
I was shopping hungry
(something you should never do) at the market the other day when I felt a
hankering for some Cajun food. I saw this bottle of Creole seasoning and
thought, this looks great (advertising does wonders). Then I saw that the
bottle was pretty large (8 oz) and that it was $8.99 – wow! I checked the back
and saw that the spices listed, I already had at home. So I put the bottle
down, went back home, looked up a Creole seasoning
recipe online and went to work. The Creole fish I made that night tasted
extra special – the secret ingredient that gave it that extra bit of
deliciousness was the fact that I saved $8.99… yummay!
Before you buy any pre-mixed
seasonings, check to see if you have the ingredients at home already. When you make your own seasoning you can control
the quality of the spices, the use of artificial preservatives, the amount of
salt, and the use of MSG or monosodium glutamate as some companies have started
writing out the entire name, hoping we won’t realize it’s MSG.
8) Using
too much in your food
Yay, spices are great! Now
simma’ down… you don’t need to drown your chicken in cayenne pepper to impart
flavor, a ¼ teaspoon is fine. The same goes with other spices like garlic
powder. You want to enhance the
flavor of the food, not mask it.
9) Only
using salt and pepper
Many fine restaurants and
institutions mostly cook with sea salt, pepper, and butter. It’s nice that
their ingredients are so fresh that they just need to add a pinch of salt, a
dash of this and violá! But homecooks aren't cooking up expensive ingredients
like calamari, sea urchin, and pâté every night. It’s okay to add a little flavor –
you’re missing out on a whole world of experiences if you’re afraid to use
spices. And for the record, spices don’t always mean hot. Only some spices impart
heat like pepper and ginger; others like cumin won’t make you down a jug
of ice water to recover.
10) Contaminating the containers
Most of us use spices when
seasoning raw meat. Make sure you wash your hands or use a clean hand when
handling your spice containers. That chicken juice isn’t coming off that bottle
unless you wash it off or wipe it with a disinfectant wipe. The best way to
avoid cross-contamination in this scenario is to open your spice containers
before handling the meat. Use one hand to shake the spice on and the other to
massage the meat and never let them touch unless you’re washing them.
I really do love cooking with different spices, and I think you'd be surprised at how much variety they can add to even the simplest meals. These tips I've provided are a result of the trials, errors, and success I've had in the kitchen. I hope they're helpful to you as they were to me.
