How old are your spices?

Some common questions during cooking demos include; what spice is that, where do you get that spice, and how long do spices last.

Well there are a lot of spices out there so that first question is a bit harder to answer but here is a list of what think are home cook must haves.

Spices:

• Paprika

• chili powder

• cumin

• coriander

• turmeric

• garlic powder or granulated

• onion powder or flaked

• nutmeg

• allspice

• clove

• white pepper

• black pepper

Herbs:

• thyme

• rosemary

• sage

• dill

• oregano

• basil

• parsley

• cilantro

• Italian herb mix

Where to get goo quality spices for a good price might seem trick but it is important if you are shooting for the best flavor. I strongly recommend to view the grocery store as last resort or only in time of convenience. This is because the prices are much higher than if you went to a spice shop to buy spices. The product might be close or even comparable but the price is much higher. Here is my list of spice companies I recommend:

• https://www.penzeys.com/

• https://www.frontiercoop.com/spices-and-seasonings/

• https://www.savoryspiceshop.com/

• https://spiceology.co/collections/all

How long should you keep spices and herbs? That is a difficult question to answer but a goo rule of thumb is 1-2 years for spices and 3-4 years for dried herbs. Some people feel that if a spice still has a smell you can use it, which could work but the quality will be strongly reduced and there for show in your foods flavor. Here is a good article from the today show on spices:

https://www.today.com/food/are-your-spices-old-here-s-how-tell-if-you-t125844