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Cooking / Kodiak, AK

Kitchen Conundrum: How to store ridiculous-sized spice jars

store, spices, herbs, seasonings,

There are a lot of fake kitchens out there. While designing our own kitchen, I came across many soul-less rooms featured in House Beautiful-type magazines. One look at the photos and I’d think, “Are you kidding? Knead bread on the counter? Keep a compost bucket by the sink?” In the process though, I realized there are two major hurdles for every kitchen: Where to install the sink and how to store herbs and spices. Allow me to share a few discoveries with you…

Deciding where to put the sink (the busiest zone in the kitchen) was easy. We live on the ocean in Kodiak, Alaska, so duh, I gave it and myself, the best view in the house. As for storing spices and herbs, the solution wasn’t so immediate. Spice containers come in a ridiculous number of shapes and sizes.

And though I loved to cook, I didn’t want to waste time wading through dark cabinets to find that tin of Colman’s mustard. The solution: A large, shallow drawer where jars are laid on their side, labels facing up.

Years have passed since that “drawer revelation” but when I fetched a jar of nutmeg from the drawer the other day, I stared at the label and wondered, “How old is this nutmeg?” Maybe you have a bottle or two of ancient herbs hanging around. Is it still fresh? Should you bother hanging on to it? Hopefully this post will inspire you straighten out your own spice cabinet and at the same time, provide insights about those seasonings that lift every recipe from bland to grand.

Kodiak, Alaska, kitchen, B&B, garden,

Views from our kitchen in Kodiak, Alaska are a never-ending movie. In this case, the vegetable and flower gardens and the Alaska Marine Highway ferry, the Tustumena. Sometimes, and occasional whale passes by… (Marion Owen photo)

Q: What’s the difference between spices and herbs?
A: Spices are aromatic seasonings that come from the roots, seeds, bark, buds, or fruit of certain plants. Herbs are the flavorful leafy parts of certain plants.

Q: Do spices spoil?
A: Seasonings don’t spoil per se. After all, most herbs and spices are irradiated to control insects, mold, and other organisms that cause decreased shelf life. As a rule, unopened spices last up to three years and whole spices last twice as long as ground spices.
The shelf life of spices varies, and remember, you never really need to worry about them going “bad” like other foods do. For example, a bottle of curry powder that’s been around a questionable amount of time probably won’t make you sick; it will just be less potent so you’ll need to use more.

Many folks abide by a one-year rule when it comes to discarding most spices. Seems short to me. Spices aren’t cheap and I certainly don’t want to replace all of mine each year. Here are a few “to toss or not to toss” guidelines:

  • Ground spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric): 2 to 3 years
  • Herbs (basil, oregano, parsley): 1 to 3 years
  • Whole spices (cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks): 4 years
  • Extracts: 4 to 6 years (except for vanilla, which lasts forever)

Sound pretty straightforward? Sure, but unless you keep a “purchased on” or “harvested on” checklist or pay attention to “best by” date stamp, it’s a pain to keep track of how long each and every spice has been kicking around.

Q: How do you know if spices have lost their punch?
A: Begin with your senses: Spices should have a strong fragrance, taste potent, and have a rich, natural color. A lack of any of these things means that the spice or dried herb is past its prime and not worth keeping. If a spice has some fragrance left but is far less potent than it used to be, just double the amount called for in a recipe. Otherwise, toss it, compost it, or use it in a soup, stew or other not-so-critical recipe.
And don’t feel guilty if you have to toss and replace a spice. It won’t do any good taking up valuable real estate in your kitchen. By the way, if a spice is rather ancient, you may not want to throw the packaging away. Many folks collect antique spice bottles and tins.

Q: What is the best way to store cooking spices and herbs?
A: You want to keep seasonings within arm’s length of your food prep area, but far from any source of intense heat. In other words, avoid decorating the back of your stovetop or windowsill with a row of bottled spices. It’s a double-edged sword: Heat accelerates flavor loss. And the steam from cooking can cause ground spices, blends, and dehydrated vegetable powders to cake into a sold brick.

Strong, direct light is no friend to dried spices either, so if you purchase seasonings in bulk, store the overflow in dark containers, preferably in a cool spot. And while it might be a no-brainer, keep your cooking spices tightly capped and use dry measuring spoons. Sounds silly, but try to avoid dipping even a slightly wet spoon into the container.

Spice, herbs, how to store, containers, bottles

Spices and herbs come in so many shapes and sizes it’s hard to find a convenient space to store and access them.

My parents encouraged me to learn how to cook, starting with salads and advancing to chocolate soufflés. Mom was a casual cook, but Dad was a nut for orderliness. I used to tease him about arranging his army of Spice Islands jars alphabetically, a method you might find useful if you have a lot of people (kids, grandkids, Girl Scouts) who cook in your kitchen. But if that’s not your style, then grouping seasonings by cuisine might feel better.

Today, for health reasons, my husband and I are following a plant-based diet (no meat, dairy, or processed oils). And most meals I prepare from scratch. Sure it’s time consuming but it’s worth every second. How does my spice drawer look today? Baking spices are corralled together in one area, with savory Indian spices in another. The largest group (all-purpose seasonings like garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, thyme and so on) fills out the middle section. It’s time saving and worth every second.

My note to you: As we enter the high baking season, may your gingerbread men contain an extra pinch of cinnamon and may your holiday be filled with “sugar and spice and everything nice.”
Thanks for visiting.

Gingerbread men, cookies, ginger, Christmas cookies, baking

Here’s smiling at you!

10 Comments

  • Rebecca and Bill
    June 20, 2017 at 3:49 PM

    Hi Marion — do you happen to know Cheryl Hamann? I believe she comes from the same area as you and her name popped up when I was doing some genealogical research. She was seeking information on an ancestor of mine. So I wondered if we might be (very distantly) related. If you know her and think she’d be willing to correspond with me, I’d love to get connected. Thanks — and I always enjoy your newsletters! Rebecca Dare

    Reply
  • Melissa
    December 19, 2016 at 2:10 PM

    Marion, Got a kit to make a gingerbread house. Reminded me of the gingerbread men ornaments. Equal parts applesauce and cinnamon, air dry. Good way to use up old spices! M.

    Reply
  • Linda
    December 18, 2016 at 2:23 PM

    I love your comments this time. You are so right about kitches. I always said my tiny kitchen would be find for somebody who do not “cook”! lol

    Reply
  • Melissa
    December 15, 2016 at 1:47 PM

    Marion, If I had that view from my sink I’d never get dishes done! Beautiful photo! Keep my all purpose seasonings on a large hanging shelf (meant for a bathroom), alphabetically. Then, like you, keep my baking and savory Middle-Eastern/Indian spices corralled together. In plastic containers in the cabinet. Just remove the whole container, no hunting around. I write the month/year of purchase on top or label. What do you use most often? Very Merry Christmas to you!! M.

    Reply
    • marionowen
      December 15, 2016 at 10:56 PM

      Good idea Melissa, writing the purchase date. I also have quite a few bulk spices in my pantry. Hard to say what I use most often since I cook so many different ways. I really love Indian food, though I’m not as familiar with all the spices. I love fresh garlic, cardamom, chili, cayenne, oregano, lemon… it’s all good!

      Reply
  • Colleen
    December 15, 2016 at 4:43 AM

    Thank you Marion, I always enjoy your posts, There is a snow storm coming to Wisconsin this weekend, I think I’ll make some gingerbread men and put in an extra spoonful of cinnamon. Merry Christmas! I love your photos, they always amaze me!

    Reply
    • marionowen
      December 15, 2016 at 10:53 PM

      Send some snow our way, Colleen. Now that we are on a plant-based diet (no eggs), it’s a challenge to make cookies… I’ll give gingerbread cookies a try, though. Blessings to you!

      Reply
  • Velda
    December 14, 2016 at 11:56 PM

    I always look forward to your posts! Good tips and I finally know the difference between herbs and spices! Merry Christmas!

    Reply
    • marionowen
      December 15, 2016 at 10:51 PM

      And a very, merry, joy-filled Christmas to you, Velda!

      Reply

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