Today's Kitchen Tip: Where can I buy unusual spices and herbs?

I love to try lots of new spices.  Sometimes I have to go online to get some of the more unusual ones.  Today as I was surfing, I found a site that had some of the most unusual spices I have ever seen.  Along with the list of herbs and spices, there was a botanical definition so you can learn a little about what you are buying.

So, if you are looking for spices but cannot find them on any of the usual places, try here.

Today's Kitchen Tip: Do I really have to throw out spices after six months

Spices from www.myspicesage.com

Depending upon where you get your information, some sites will tell you to dispose of your opened spices after six months.  For me, that's just a ploy to get you to buy spices more often.  Why do I say that?  Well, most spices are harvested once a year so if you replace your spices after six months, you may be buying spices from the same harvest that you just threw out.

For me, I dispose of my spices when they  have lost their scent and flavor.  Storing spices carefully will prolong their flavor.  More on that in another tip.

Today's Kitchen Tip: Get great spices at great prices

Lots of spices are available from
www.myspicesage.com

I use lots of different spices and am always trying new recipes using interesting spices.  I try never to buy my spices at the grocery store since they are often expensive.

I shop at Penzey's locally quite a bit, but when I have unusual spices I want to buy, I go to www.myspicesage.com .  Today, when I placed an order, I learned that their shipping is free.  That's great since I can order small amounts of spices and not have to worry about paying more for the shipping than I do for the spice.  www.Myspicesage.com carries so many spices that I could spend hours perusing their website.  They have things I have never seen anywhere else.

Oh yes, this time I ordered pumpkin powder, pumpkin pie spice, clear jel (which is hard to get locally) and Hungarian paprika.  And....they give you the ability to select a free sample of various spices. 

So today's tip is to try ordering spices online with my favorite place....www.myspicesage.com. 

Today's Kitchen Tip: Color code pepper grinder

As you probably already know, I love freshly ground pepper.  I keep several types of pepper in my  kitchen at all times.  I also love white pepper.  I use white pepper in recipes where I do not want dark flecks to show.  I do not use white pepper often and find that it loses flavor if it's pre-ground, too. 

With all the spices and various types of pepper I have, I do not want to have to search all over for the right pepper grinder.  How do I easily find my white pepper?  I put it in a white pepper grinder.  If you can't find a white pepper grinder, place the peppercorns in a grinder that is different from your regular grinder.  I just happened to find an inexpensive white grinder and for my uses, it was perfect.

There is no question what type of pepper is in that grinder!!!

Today's Kitchen Tip: Use freshly ground pepper

Pepper grinder and peppercorns

We have all used ground pepper from the grocery store, but have you ever noticed it does not pack much of a punch?  That's because pepper loses its flavor once it has been sitting around. 

Rather than purchasing ground pepper from the store, pick up a pepper mill and some peppercorns and grind it fresh as you  need it.  It will taste so much better.  Besides, pepper grinders look very cool on your counter.

There are all types of peppercorns to choose from, but for my everyday cooking, I buy them in bulk at Costco.

Easy way to keep bugs out of your pantry items

Do you want to keep bugs out of your pantry?  Of course you do.  Just place a bay leaf in your flour and rice and bugs will not bug you again.

Salt -- it isn't just for sprinkling on food anymore!

Darn.  I was making eggs this morning and one fell right out of my hand on to the floor.  Nothing is worse than a goopy egg mess to clean up.  Fear not.  I have another tip for using salt.

I generally use kosher or sea salt, but I always keep a container of table salt in the house.  Why?  Well, if you cover an egg that broke with salt and wait a minute or two, the salt absorbs the egg goop and it is really easy to clean up.  Yup!  Just wipe up the salt from the counter or floor and the broken egg becomes a faded memory.

Then you can get back to business and make yourself a fabulous breakfast. 

Keep your dirty hands out of your salt 'pinch bowl'

I like to keep my salt in a salt bowl that I use specifically for grabbing a pinch of salt.  So when I am making thing such as chicken, if I stick my 'chickeny' fingers into the salt bowl, it is now contaminated.  To keep this from happening (and, yes, it also keeps me from throwing away a bunch of salt that I've accidentally contaminated), I pour a little pile of the salt on my cutting board or counter.  Then I stick my fingers into the pile, use what I need, and discard the rest.

I'm safe, haven't cross contaminated, and haven't thrown out a bunch of salt I did not use.

There are so many interesting tips for salt.  Watch for tomorrow's salt tip.

What do I do if I only need a pinch of a spice I do not have

Spices can be very expensive and over time, they lose some of their flavor. 

Rather than waste a lot of money on a spice you will only use once, I purchase a little bit from a store that sells spices in bulk.  That way I do not buy an entire jar that I will end up throwing out.