March
26
When people see my spice ”drawer” I know they’re wondering if maybe… perhaps… I’m a closet hoarder? Truth is that my spice “drawer” takes up an entire corner of my kitchen! Two lazy susans chock full of spice: spice bottles, spice blends, whole spice, ground spice, salts and peppercorns, dried herbs and of course oils, extracts, and other flavorful ingredients. And while that naturally begs the question “do you really use that all?” (the answer is yes!), it always commands the second question, “how long does all of that last?” The simple answer to the question is “as long as the spice has aroma and flavor.” The not so simple reality is that no one really tells you what that means! If you go in search of some hard and fast rules, be prepared for the standard answer that goes something like 3 to 6 months for dried herbs and then up to 2 years for spices. Check the “best by” date or “freshness code” on the bottom of those spice jars you’ve purchased from your local grocer and you’ll find out the answer is as long as 15 years! (Anecdotally, I checked that code on the bottom of my Cream of Tartar that I purchased in December only to discover it was “made” on February 8, 1999. The site recommended that I buy a new one!)
So why is it that there’s so much disparity in guidelines? Because it’s more the quality of the spice that drives its longevity than it is freshness. Hmmmm. That doesn’t help much does it?
For the numbers people who just want to know when to throw out a spice and replace it, try this:
Hard, whole spices – sticks, seeds, pods, etc.: 1 year
Ground spices: 6 months
Dried herbs: 6 months
Seasoning blends: with salt – up to 1 year; without salt 6 months
Powders: Cheese and Seasoning Powders 6 months
Smoke Powders up to 1 year
Salts: As long as it takes to use them
Olive Oil: 3 months
Shocking, I know. The numbers here are dramatically lower than what most “big brand” spice purveyors or even some of the “experts” will tell you. And while they’re not really wrong, when it comes to spices and herbs there are a lot of variables. Here’s why our list is the smarter way to rotate your spices.
First and foremost, spice quality varies. When TSTE purchases it’s spices, generally they are bought in “whole” form from the best growers in the best growing regions in the world that are available to them at that time. (Not all spice purveyors do this, which is why price can vary so much for the same spice). And, they buy a lot. All spice purveyors do. When the spice arrives to the United States, clears customs and arrives to a warehouse for distribution or packaging, your spice is already aging. Just like wine, this is perfectly acceptable, but precisely why within 1 to 2 years after purchasing a whole spice you’re best to be done with it. No matter how much or how little, the natural oils that give it its flavor and aroma have diminished.
When spices are ground and then sold, more of the precious aromatic oils that define a spices aroma and flavor are exposed to air, which in turn diminishes their potency even faster. Dried herbs work similarly, but perhaps even more delicately. What gives an herb its aromatic quality is the natural oils contained in the leaves. The process of drying – even freeze drying – diminishes that total amount of oil available to give a dried herb its aromatic quality. This is why you’ll hear people say, “rub a dried herb between your fingers before adding it to your pot.” That’s so you can further crush the dried piece exposing and releasing more of the oils.
When you add salt to spices and dried herbs things change up a bit. Salt, a natural preservative, not only helps the spices – ground or whole, and dried herbs – retain more of their natural potency, they tend to last longer because they’re blended with a natural preservative!
Finally, oils, by their very nature are susceptible to heat, light, and air. Smell an older bottle of olive oil next to a newer one and the difference is remarkable.
Beyond everything else, spices and herbs, oils and flavorings are stored in or near our kitchen. One of the most active areas in our homes, a kitchen’s ambient temperature and lighting are constantly changing. Even if you manage to store you spices in an “airtight container” in a “cool, dry place” the truth is that that all kitchen spaces heat and cool daily. No matter how far away from ovens, stove tops or other appliances (and appliance motors) your spices are, they’re still being affected by heat, light, humidity and vibration, and that ultimately effects their taste and flavor.
And therein lies the point to all of this. We use spices and seasonings, and even aromatic oils, for one reason, they add flavor. When flavor is diminished, the ultimate flavor push is diminished, too. While you generally don’t have to worry about spices or herbs going bad in the sense of becoming rancid or inedible, it’s pointless to add something to your food that doesn’t enhance its overall flavor.
If for no other reason, buying higher quality spices in smaller quantities, ground or blended to order (the way we do it here at The Spice & Tea Exchange) makes all the sense in the world. At the end of a season, if you have any left over, it’s a small enough quantity that if you choose to toss it you don’t feel guilty about it. Me? I usually grind my remainders down and blend them into a cake or a loaf, like the Olive Oil Loaf/Cake recipe below.
So, for my excessively large spice pantry I stick to a “twice a year rule.” When Spring rolls around and a good spell of rain sets in, I make myself some delicious tea, and sort through my spices (same thing goes just before Halloween). This particular time of year I focus on cleaning out the hard spices – my go-to winter spices, the sticks, seeds, pods, etc., the ones that got me through the holidays, the baking, the stews and soups, braises and roasting. They all get inventoried. I smell them or crush one or two and see what I think. If they’ve got some power I keep them. If they’re not as potent as I remember, they either get used up or tossed out. And because I can toss the spice and keep the small TSTE pouch that my spice came in, I just clip the empty bags together and place them on the rack so I have an easy reminder of what I’ll need to re-order once the Fall settles in!
When I’m done with the inventory, I go one step further and check to see what I’ve got on hand for my spring and summer cooking. I make my list of what I need, and always consider adding a new spice or two that I want to experiment with, like this spring it’s cardamom and chamomile flowers. A quick inventory of the empty bags I saved from my clean-out in the Fall, both of spices and blends, helps me decide what I’ll reorder. Then I just toss the empty bags.
And then, as I enjoy the last few drops of my delicious tea, I place my order… or head out to my neighborhood TSTE and do a little shopping.
Recipe: Olive Oil and Spiced Cake
Makes 2 loaves or one 9 x 9-inch cake
This cake is dense and flavorful. The olive oil is a great vehicle to infuse a lot of flavor from a small quantity of spices. Don’t hesitate to trade out spices or citrus zest. This recipe is very adaptable!
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons finely ground juniper berries
½ teaspoon finely ground green whole peppercorns (substitute black)
1 ¼ cup sugar
4 cold eggs
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2/3 cup milk
1 tablespoon grapefruit zest (from about half a ruby-red grapefruit)
3 tablespoons Amontillado sherry
Preparation
Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 350° F. Spray two medium to large loaf pans with non-stick spray (or bundt cake pans work well here, too).
Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spices into a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the sugar and eggs until pale yellow, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn the speed to low and add the flour mixture, then the oil, milk, zest and sherry. Continue to mix at low speed until just blended.
Pour the batter evenly between the pan(s). Bake until the cake tester comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes. Cool the cake(s) on a rack for about 15 minutes. Slide a thin knife around the side of the pan to release the cake(s) and turn out onto a cooling rack. Cool completely. Serve at room temperature with fresh whipped ice cream.
