Spiced Up Information

Another passion for me is cooking. I find that many people cook but they almost do it mindless. I do have to admit I did until a few years ago. Lets take something as simple as water. Do you think water left out can get stale? If you think so please read on... if not then we need to work on your taste buds. From what I have found pretty much everything can get stale over time. Some may spoil, some my lose CO2... others just turn stale.

Now think of your spice rack, do you really think that an herb can keeps it's flavor forever? Now if it stays intact then I am sure it will last longer, such as a cinamon stick verses power. Anyway, how long do you think it was in a bin before it was canned and then in the warehouse before it arrived to the store? How long do you think it was on that rack before your house? Try to get fresh spices and herbs. Get adventurous and make your own spice creations. Don't use premade spice combo's... because salt is cheep and it's a good filler.

I have read that spices should only last 6 months after opening... 6 months!! Other places such as McCormick's website has a chart and it was anywhere from 1-4 years. So what I have been doing is dating my newly entering spices so I can clearly see when I bought it. Although if you have purchased something from McCormick use this link.. and it will tell you how old your spice is. Pretty cool I think!

One this that I like from the website should be the best way to determine if it is a good spice or not... "Rub or crush the herb or spice in your hand. If its aroma is weak and flavor is not apparent, then it's time to replace it." Because I know that prior to me caring about the flavor of my food, I was keeping mine for 5+ years.