Pricey cloves
I loved the pumpkin cupcake recipe mentioned earlier this week on SE, but wanted to freshen up my ancient jar of cloves. So today in CA I found a mini spice container (half the normal spice jar) of ground cloves for $9+.
Yow! Are cloves this crazy-expensive everywhere else? Can I skip them, or just use "pumpkin pie spice" and call it a day?
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8 Comments:
I live in upstate NY, and I can buy mini containers of spices (Tones) for 99 cents . I'd go with the pp spice and maybe add a little extry cinnamon and nutmeg.
dmcavanagh at 11:41PM on 10/24/09
I buy premium-quality spices by mail from The Spice House, Chicago.
2 oz. ground cloves, $3.99
If you are not familiar with this site, it is worth a look:
www.thespicehouse.com
salpico at 12:55AM on 10/25/09
I don't use cloves a lot or cinnamon for that matter so I keep a small jar of "pumpkin pie spice" or "apple pie spice" in the house all the time. You can use them in a lot of things and I think they have a more mellow "rounder" flavor profile. For example I use either in the streusel topping I make for my cranberry muffins.
tapioca at 8:31AM on 10/25/09
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/results.html
not sure where in CA you are, but where I am there is a Penzeys spice store close by. They have great spices at affordable prices. You can also order online.
DELICIOUS at 9:35AM on 10/25/09
Spice House or Penzy's, order online''Or check our a local food co-op or health food store where you can purchase in bulk.
Don't skip the cloves, just the store you found them for $9 at.
CJ McD at 11:58PM on 10/25/09
I live in California, too. If you go to your local Mexican/Armenian/Chinese supermarket you can get the spices that don't come in jars for about $.99 an envelope. I have been refilling my jars for years. Also, Trader Joe's might have a seasonal Pumpkin spice. Even Target might have it in those giant size containers, "It's Delish" or something like that.
LearP at 12:45AM on 10/26/09
Go, CJ! Great advice to skip the store.
I skip the cloves in all my recipes that call for them, except when I make gingerbread houses; we don't eat those but cloves sure help to make that wonderful smell last a long time. I omit cloves in everything else because it's so overpowering. I want my gingersnaps to taste gingery and cinnamony, and I find that even a dash of ground cloves overwhelms the other spices.
betteirene at 3:13AM on 10/26/09
I love clove and often drop a few into a pot to simmer just for the spicy scent to perfume the house. Buying in bulk afford me this tiny luxury.
You can get 8 ounces, yes 8 ounces for $9.99 or a one cup jar for $6.78.
That's enough for cooking and scenting. I always put a couple of cloves in my bean or pea soups, in cassoulet, stud hams, tuck into an orange for ttable decorations...it's clove season in this house.
Plus buying from Spice House or Penzy's ASSURES you that your spices will be fresh.
I "heart" Spice House.
CJ McD at 11:49AM on 10/26/09