Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Herbs and Spices

Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Herbs and Spices

A blog about spring cleaning your spices and herbs.

Think of all the things you do to clean-up around the house during the spring. You might be washing the windows, cleaning out your closet, or even just giving the house a good spring cleaning. But how often do you think about your herbs and spices? If they aren’t a priority, they should be. After all, these are items that can bring great flavor to your food, as well as add some color to it. You wouldn’t want any of those to go bad now would you?

What is Spring Cleaning?

Spring cleaning is the act of doing a serious cleaning of a home during the beginning of spring. It is more than just changing out your closet from winter wear to summer wear. It is also getting rid of anything you don’t need, organizing what you do need, and making sure everything is spic and span.

Why Do Spring Cleaning?

Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Herbs and Spices

Spring is just around the corner, and that means it’s time to spring (cleaning) into action!

It’s so easy to forget about your herbs and spices when they’re tucked away in the back of your pantry. But since you’re going through everything else, you may as well give them a quick check. I like to do this every season; I find it’s the best way to make sure I’m getting fresh flavor out of my dried herbs.

There are two main things you need to look out for: age and light. The older an herb or spice is, the less flavor you’ll get from it. And all dried herbs and spices should be kept in a cool, dark place. Even if you’re using a container that blocks light, you want to make sure that your kitchen shelves aren’t in direct sunlight; that can really speed up their expiration date.

Here’s how long different types of herbs and spices will last:

Basil: 1-2 years

Bay leaves: 2 years

Cardamom pods: 4 years whole, 2 years ground

Cayenne pepper: 2-3 years

Chili powder: 3-4 years

Cilantro/

Spring is the perfect time to clean out your spice cupboard (or drawer, or wall). Not only will your spices taste better, but you’ll have more room for new ones.

As you go through your collection of spices and herbs, it is a good idea to check that they are still fresh. You can tell if a spice is fresh by the color and smell. If it smells weak and unappealing, then toss it out. If it has lost its color, then it probably has lost its flavor as well.

Spring cleaning is especially important for ground spices because they lose their flavor quickly. Ground white pepper starts to lose its flavor after about six months in storage; black pepper lasts a bit longer.

If you find that you have many old spices on your hands, consider donating them to Second Harvest or another food bank. In this way, at least someone will benefit from your spring cleaning!

Here are some tips for cleaning out your cupboard and getting a fresh start on the season.

Aromatics such as cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla need to be stored in airtight containers in a cool, dark place. If they have lost their fragrance, they have lost their value.

Peppercorns tend to dry out quickly and lose their flavor when exposed to air. To get the most flavor from peppercorns, grind them yourself just before use. They can be ground into a peppermill or by using a mortar and pestle. Peppercorns may also be crushed with the bottom of a heavy saucepan or skillet.

Curry powder does not keep well and should be purchased in small quantities so it will always be fresh. Store curry powder in an airtight container away from heat and light.

Chili powder should always be purchased in small quantities since it is best when freshly ground. Store chili powder in an airtight container away from light and heat.

White Pepper

When I think of white pepper, I picture my grandmother’s kitchen. My mother and aunt would be chopping garlic and onions while she stood over the stove in her white cotton apron, adding spice after spice to the simmering pot until it smelled just right. Her secret ingredient? White pepper!

White pepper is made from dried, fully ripened berries of the pepper plant. The outer skin is removed and then either left whole or ground into a powder.

White pepper can be used in any application where black pepper is used, but it has a milder flavor, so you may need to be more generous with the seasoning. It can be used in soups, sauces, gravies or any dish where you might want the taste of black pepper without seeing the specks of black. The best use for white pepper is in cream-based dishes and mashed potatoes so you don’t see any specks.

Are your spices past their prime? You’ll know when they no longer have much flavor. If your white pepper has lost its pungent aroma and flavor, it’s time to replace it.

Most of us don’t realize how much they lose by buying pre-ground spices. Grinding your own spices can make a significant difference in the taste of your food, and the best way to do that is with a dedicated coffee grinder (also called a spice grinder).

A coffee grinder is great for pulverizing large quantities of whole cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, and other hard spices. It’s also really good for grinding dried chiles and seeds like cumin, coriander, fennel, and cardamom. And it works well as a spice grinder because it has its own automatic pulse button so you can grind spices to whatever coarseness you want (and you don’t have to clean out the coffee maker afterwards either).

But a coffee grinder isn’t the only option. You can use a blender or food processor to grind spices, but be careful not to overdo it or you’ll end up with powder instead of flakes. A mortar and pestle is also excellent for grinding small amounts of spices.

And if you’re looking for something even more affordable than a coffee grinder, try an old-fashioned mortar and pestle.

We all know that salt and pepper are the most popular spices in the world. What you might not know is that white pepper is actually made from the same fruit as black pepper. The only difference is that white pepper is prepared differently than black pepper.

When black pepper is harvested, the entire berry is picked off of the bush. Then it’s dried in the sun until its skin begins to wrinkle and turn brown. On the other hand, when white peppercorns are harvested, they are first soaked in water for up to a week. This causes their skins to soften, making them easy to remove by either rubbing them or simply washing them off. The peppercorns are then dried in the sun until they shrivel and turn greyish-white. The result is a milder form of black pepper with a more subtle flavor profile.”

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