dear du cooks .

[AllaN01Bear]

do spices and herbs go flat after a while or do they have staying power ? thanks .

[NJCher]

1. they don't have staying power

Buy new, at least once a year. Better yet, grow your own and dry them.

[AllaN01Bear]

3. thanks for your information.

[Ocelot II]

2. They don't last; most lose their flavor after a year or so.

[AllaN01Bear]

4. looks like i am going to do a resupply mission.

thanks

[Ocelot II]

5. Try Penzey's if you have a shop near you, or you can order online.

They are great supporters of liberal causes. https://www.penzeys.com/ And their spices are high-quality.

[NJCher]

6. around here

you can go to a greengrocer or even a grocery store and get bundles of herbs. For $1.50 a bunch, you can buy a nice variety, wash them, and dry them. Here I always see sage, marjoram, dill, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, and thyme.

I wouldn't go to the supermarket and buy bottled unless you have no choice. The RG works with one of the biggest herb and spice suppliers to the U.S. and he says often the stuff you find on the supermarket shelves is already a year old.

[The Polack MSgt]

7. The more aromatic the herb,the quicker they go flat

Storing them in the freezer can help but buying small amounts frequently is the best practice

My brother the CIA trained chef told me that

[AllaN01Bear]

9. thank you for your seervice and thanks for your info.

[Lunabell]

11. Oh wow!

CIA chef, congrats to your brother!! That's quite the feather in his cap.

[The Polack MSgt]

12. Paid off his student loans on his 50th birthday, but yeah other than that little drawback,

getting that Culinary Institute of America diploma was an impressive feat.

Last time we visited, he made home cured and smoked bacon with breakfast. A crown rib roast with a homemade demiglace sauce for dinner and dessert was an apple tart that forced me to close my eyes as I chewed.

I can't understand how his wife stays normal size.

[Lunabell]

13. Lol, she has good genes.

And woweewowwowwow on that menu!! Lucky you!!

[yellowdogintexas]

15. I buy mine from the bulk bins at the grocery.

I get exactly the amount I need to have, and save a ton of money too. Fortunately I have a very large collection of Tupperware spice containers which I acquired when I was a dealer a long time ago. Doing this keeps me from feeling guilty when I have to toss things, because they did not cost me much to begin with.

We have 3 stores which have this; Winco, Sprouts and The Mother of All Bulk Bins, Central Market. They have a whole wall of spices (as well as a wide variety of grains, dried fruits, granola, dried beans, candy, loose teas and more) Their herbs/spices are in small trays and you dish them out with a spoon into a bag and weigh them. Sometimes I have to toss pennies on the scale to get it to weigh enough to price the item. Where else can you get bay leaves for a nickle?
The scale prints out a label and you stick it on the bag; each item has a code which is keyed into the scale.
All the produce is priced that way as well. Best and freshest in town; keeps longer after I get it home, too.

I love Central Market!!! It is a bit more expensive than mainline supermarkets, but it is a true food market. It is not as expensive as Whole Paycheck. I go there when I need spices and a few other things, and save so much money on spices. I will not buy fish anywhere else in town.

[The Polack MSgt]

16. No Central Market here in SW Illinois unfortunately.

I shop for spices at Penzey's in St Louis - if I'm across the river for other reasons - or Fresh Time on IL if I need an Herb/Spice sooner than our next trip to STL

Fresh Time is basically 80% of Whole Foods selection for 90% of the price, but the quality is good so whatcha gonna do?

But I just buy a big jar of McCormick Chili powder when I make chili no need to get fancy about everything

[yellowdogintexas]

17. No Central Market outside of Texas actually

One of the best things about living here: HEB stores and the Central Market division.

[cachukis]

8. Fresh is best.

[Lunabell]

10. Herbs definitely do.

Spices have a longer shelf life.

Spices and dried herbs do not spoil, but eventually they do lose some of their flavor. Stored as recommended, you can usually count on seeds and whole spices (such as cumin and dill seeds, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks and peppercorns) staying fresh for three or four years. Ground spices (including cinnamon and ground pepper) stay flavorful for one to three years. Hold onto dried green herbs (such as basil and oregano) for six months to three years, watching for fading color and flavor to guide you.

Although these seasonings may look attractive displayed over the stove, exposure to heat and moisture can make them lose flavor faster. Instead, store them in airtight containers away from the heat, moisture and light that speed up their deterioration. If you have room in a cabinet or drawer, that is the ideal way to store them. Although research is growing on the potential of herbs and spices as sources of health-protective phytochemicals, it’s not clear how content changes during storage. For now, it looks like these shelf life recommendations are advisable to maintain potential health benefits as well as flavor.

https://www.aicr.org/resources/blog/healthtalk-how-long-do-jars-of-spices-and-dried-herbs-last-2/

[Warpy]

14. Yes,, especially preground spices

Those need to be replaced every 6 months. If you don't use them that often, whole spices and a spice grinder can save you money.

Herbs can hang around for a year in githly closed jars in a cool, dry place.