Spring cleaning your spice cupboard

  • By Kate Shumaker OSU Extension Crossroads EERA Educator Family and Consumer Sciences
  • April 20, 2011
  • 351
                        
If you are like most people, you have a handful of herbs and spices that you use regularly and then you have those other ones. The bottle of spice X you picked up for this recipe that you want to try. Then the bottle of spice X sits in your spice cupboard for the next 10 years until you can no longer remember why you bought it in the first place. Some time ago, I was flipping through the Sunday newspaper and came across an advertisement that really made me smile. The ad was from McCormick, a company that sells herbs and spices, with the headline, “Do you know the signs of aging?” It went on to give two examples of ways to tell if your McCormick spices are more than 15 years old. I can guarantee that my mother has some spices in her cupboard that are at least that old. You may not think of herbs and spices as having a shelf life, but the truth is that many will lose their potency over time. Given that some herbs and spices can be very expensive for such a small amount, try to purchase the smallest amount possible to meet your needs. For instance, if you bake frequently, you might want to buy the larger container of cinnamon, but reach for the tiny jar of chili powder because you rarely make spicy dishes. Remember that the flavor and aroma of ground spices will deteriorate more rapidly than that of crushed or whole spices. If possible, buying spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves whole and grinding them yourself when needed will consistently produce a more “true” flavor. Storing spices can be a tricky thing as well. Most of us want to store herbs and spices near the stove, so they are within reach when you are cooking. I’m sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but close to the stove is probably one of the worst places to store them. Herbs and spices deteriorate faster in the presence of heat, light and air. So the best place to store them is in a cool, dark place in airtight containers. If you intend on keeping ground spices for more than six months, put them in the refrigerator (in a dark, air-tight container). To prevent future cases of “When did I buy that?” use a permanent marker to write the month and year of purchase on your herbs and spices. If you find your spices or herbs have lost some of their oomph and you don’t have time to replace them, try adding a little bit more and/or crushing the seasoning between your fingers to release more flavor. Want to know how to tell the age of your McCormick spices? Visit their website at http://www.mccormick.com.


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