Spice life?
Noticing a lot of talking heads talking about jarred spices lasting only 6 months and then needing replacement. Is there really anything to this? Sure, I get that things get less strong over time, but should I ditch my jar of oregano or just use a bit more of it than if it was a new jar? Or is it all just a scam to get me to buy more stuff?
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7 Comments:
i am a mere novice, and like you, i notice a lack of potency as things age. but i am not in the financial bracket to replace my extensive spice rack every six months. certain things though, like the aforementioned oregano, or pretty much anything in leaf form, seems to go SUPER flavorless quick.. i do replace those sort of things often.. and usually from a local indian grocery where dried spices are super cheap.
goodbyeohio at 8:37AM on 07/16/07
I've been cooking for close to fifty years and can't remember tossing any spices, save some oregano that didn't lose its flavor, it was just plain bitter to begin with. Never had anyone complain that a dish was dull. I'd say you should take the admonition at the end of most recipes, "adjust seasoning" to heart and taste your food before plating it. Let's not take ourselves too seriously...
czken at 10:27AM on 07/16/07
Who has the $$ to switch out their spices so frequently - particularly the ones that you rarely use? I've only ever switched out some dried mint that was completely flavorless. However, I recently was forced by my boyfriend to throw out some old spices that are probably older than I am (gifts from the parents) made by the brand Durkee - does Durkee even exist anymore?
ceforrester at 1:01PM on 07/16/07
I don't think there's much to this 6 month rule, but I've learned to buy very small amounts of spices at the bulk store so that I don't have spices that last forever, plus its way cheaper than buying a big jar at the grocery store.
psychsarah at 1:09PM on 07/16/07
I think the only thing I have ever thrown out was some baking powder, and that was only after I baked some biscuits and had no rise at all. Looked at the date and it was a wee bit old. But as far as the rest of my spice cupboard, I don't think I have ever followed that rule, too expensive.
My Aunt was making a dish once that required white pepper, she had a bottle, the grocery sticker was still on it, and was dated from the early 80's as I recall. It tasted fine, a little old, but ok.
Sarahrm at 3:28PM on 07/16/07
Personally, I can certain ly taste the difference when a spice has lost too much flavor, but I go by taste on that, not time. If you're worry about how much it costs to replace spices, I recommend buying bulk spices (available at many natural foods stores), so you can buy a smaller amount. It's also cheaper, because you don't have to pay for the packaging. Just throw out the old seasonings, keep the container, and fill it up with fresher.
thepictsie at 5:34PM on 07/16/07
Penzey's Spices (www.penzeys.com) recommends replacing every 6 months. And the nice thing about them is that they don't charge a premium for buying smaller quantities. (If you've never used their spices, you should try 'em. They don't use fillers and so the flavors are more concentrated.)
JoAnn at 4:29PM on 07/17/07