Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Cookaholics Bulletin Board

Shop, cook, eat, drink, post, repeat.
 
It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 2:33 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 21 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 12:52 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:03 am
Posts: 5280
Location: Portland, OR
So ...

I finally took a trip down to Penzey's in Menlo Park to use my gift certificate. We were careful to take inventory this time, so that we wouldn't make the mistake of the pound of epazote again (in two trips to Penzey's, I was convinced that I was almost out of epazote, which I wasn't, and so bought 4oz each time -- as a result, I now have 3/4 of a pound of epazote, which is quite a lot, especially if you consider that one uses at most 2 tbs in a whole pot of beans. But I digress.) We stocked up, and spent about $70 on replenishing spices, which seems to be about our average for a trip to Penzey's.

This time around I decided to pick up a couple of curry powders for quick meals: the Sweet Curry and the Tandoori Seasoning. While I prefer to make my own curry mixes for serious Indian food, some recipes only call for 1/2 tsp of "curry", and who wants to mix 6 spices for that? We'll see how it goes.

Image

Once I was done restocking, I took inventory: 85 different spices, spice mixes and herbs. And there's plenty I don't have! Not only am I not much on buying spice mixes -- I only have 8 or 9, the rest are "pure" spices and herbs -- but I don't really see the need to have four different peppercorns or five different kinds of cinnamon, even if Penzey's does sell them and they do taste noticeably different (we went with the Ting Hung this time, FWIW). On the other hand, I have three varieties of oregano (Turkish, Mexican and Greek), so I suppose it depends on what kinds of things one cooks.

What's even more amazing is that there are spices which Penzey's doesn't have, and I have to restock elsewhere. These include:

  • Pasilla chile powder
  • Ras al Hanout
  • Whole fenugreek (why do they only have powdered?)
  • Black mustard seed (Indian)
  • Thai, Holy or Lemon Basil, dried (these are, again, hard to find anywhere)
  • Oiled paprika

At least Penzey's has Aleppo pepper again; they weren't carrying it for a while. Of course, I stocked up at an Arab market, so I didn't need any.

I also have a number of spices I don't know how to use but don't want to throw away. You know how it is, you're reading a cookbook, and you run across a recipe, and you say "that seems nifty but I'd never make it because I can't get __some_obscure_spice__"? And then you run across that spice in a store, and you grab it, only when you get it home, you can't remember what recipe it was for or even what cookbook it was in. And then you don't want to throw it out because you're sure if you do, the very next day you'll find the recipe. These include:

  • Urfa chile powder
  • Ajwain
  • Mahlab
  • Dried rice powder

Anyway, what's in your spice drawer/shelf/cabinet/outdoor storage unit?

_________________
The Fuzzy Chef
Serious Chef iz Serious!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 1:52 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Dec 23, 2008 8:06 pm
Posts: 935
If you figure out what to do with the Mahlab, let me know. I picked it up on my one and only visit to Penzey's in person (there aren't any here) and it is just sitting there...


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:10 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 7:50 pm
Posts: 2062
I actually keep a chart on the fridge. It's under a sheet of acetate so that I can mark if I have it on the spice rack, in the freezer, or need to get it.

I've long wondered about the fenugreek. I can understand not carrying something at all, but why ground and not whole?

I have never found the recipe that called for annatto again. I suppose it might come in handy if I ever decide I need to make cheese and I need that cheese to be orange.

I find four kinds of cinnamon to be an elegant sufficiency.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:31 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 11, 2009 6:36 am
Posts: 894
Location: Springfield, IL
We are addicted to a number of unusual spices and combinations:


Tim


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 2:32 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jan 09, 2009 4:34 pm
Posts: 2011
I have a really good recipe for a spinach raita that uses rice powder. What is oiled paprika? I also do that knee jerk thing where I see a spice I don't know and feel I have to buy it. There is a Turkish grocer in my town and they get me every time. I have spices all over the place and have no system for keeping track of them, hence 2 giant bags of whole cumin.

I never used to buy blends but have found them a great time saver. I would prefer a curry with freshly ground spices but sometimes it is just Wed. night and I want to play Angry Birds.

Mary


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 4:06 pm 
Offline
Site Admin
User avatar

Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:03 am
Posts: 5280
Location: Portland, OR
JB, Tim, Mary:

JB: I use annatto all the time, for Mexican food. In fact, I'll be doing it tonight, seasoning my taco shrimp with chile powder, lime, garlic and ground annatto seed. I find the ground to be much more convenient than the whole seeds, which need to be cooked in oil and then fished out.

Tim: I looked at the Penzey's Cajun, but I make my own Creole seasoning from a Tom Fitzmorris recipe, so I didn't pick any up.

Mary: share raita recipe? And oiled paprika is this spice:

Image

It's a variety of very mild Levantine pepper which is dried, oiled, roasted, and ground. I've used it as an alternative to Aleppo pepper, which my sweetie finds a bit spicy in quantity. You'd need to buy it at a well-stocked ME grocery.

_________________
The Fuzzy Chef
Serious Chef iz Serious!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:43 pm 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 7:58 pm
Posts: 1206
Fuzzy,

I have used rice powder in many N Thai dishes, but that rice powder I make from toasted rice. Does that have a tan color to it? And maybe look up recipes for bishop's weed - a synonym for ajwain.

_________________
Dave


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Sun Mar 03, 2013 8:53 pm 
Offline

Joined: Mon Mar 28, 2011 8:07 pm
Posts: 328
Tim wrote:
We are addicted to a number of unusual spices and combinations:


Tim


Thanks, Tim - I've been looking for the Sarawak Black Peppercorns for a long time now - ever since Penzey's discontinued it. Also, thanks for the source for Hickory Smoke Powder - it sounds great!

_________________
Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands - and then eat just one of the pieces.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 1:32 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Nov 12, 2011 8:05 pm
Posts: 1191
Location: Chico, CA
Josh, I knew I'd seen several recipes with ras el hanout. I think it was when I was trying to justify buying an Emile Henry Tagine pan (never did). Most are for chicken, but with my weird penchant for remembering random things (instead of useful things) I remembered a dessert from F&W . Let me know if you can't access the recipe and would like me to post it.

Here's Image my spice cabinet with 2 bags of jars, one of envelopes, plus several 4 oz. bags to refill jars in cabinet.

I too have random spices, that I've never used and can't remember why I have them, e.g. Zatar and wasabi powder (2). I think some are free jars Penzeys includes in orders, at least I hope that is why I have an extra Wasabi, Cajun, and other mixes. I tend to use more of the mixes and dry stuff in the winter, but now that my herbs are coming back I will use very little of the dried. I think Penzeys is worse than a shoe store, because individually stuff is so affordable, but then it adds up.

I do keep track of my herbs and spices in Living Cookbook. The good things is that now as I find interesting recipes and put them in LC, there is a link to the spices e.g., asofetida (Green lentils with green beans and cilantro). So the last time I thought I needed something, I looked, and found I did have it in the freezer. I also did an order from My Spice Sage to get Berbere, fenugreek seeds, actually several spices in seeds, some of which I have ground, etc.

Still I didn't always do this, so I remember wanting the spice but not why. If it is any consolation, I do the same with flours (e.g. garbanzo flour) and even some veggies or meats. For the latter I end up finding something to make and then a week later find the original that called for it. Never ending.

BTW, I get my vitamins from Vitacost and found they care a variety of organic and other stuff harder to find here and at a better price, e.g. Pomi tomatoes, Bob's Red Mill and Hodgson Mill, etc. and Kombu and Wakame.

_________________
Alina


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Spices!
PostPosted: Mon Mar 04, 2013 7:02 am 
Offline

Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2008 9:52 am
Posts: 1140
Location: Kansas City
Alina, garbonza flour = socca crepes in our house.
fitzie


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 21 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2, 3  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours [ DST ]


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 11 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Jump to:  
cron
Powered by phpBB © 2000, 2002, 2005, 2007 phpBB Group
Template made by DEVPPL/ThatBigForum