Salt 'N' Pepa

Let's talk about spice, baby

Let's talk about you and me

Let's talk about all the good things and the bad things that may be...

Let's talk about SPICE!!!

What's in your spice cabinet... and how old is it? It's great to have a cabinet full of spices - but they lose their potency.. time, light, heat. All bad things for your spices... and your food. 

I try not to expect too much from spices after a year - so I keep my inventory "low" and my eye on free shipping deals from Penzey's. They offer many "salt-free" blends which means more spice, less salt filler. I buy spices 4 -5 times per year... much along the lines of the seasons. 

The flavors of grilling season... roasted sweet potatoes, beets, apples, pears, and corn with "Mural of Flavor" and olive oil

...are different than soup and stew season. Chili with "Chili 3000".

This is my "everyday" spice stock

My "exotic" stash

Bagged spices to refill jars (economical)

Blends are nice because you get the multi-layered flavors without TONS of jars to pay for and store AND you use it up. Less waste. Saves a bit of time too - 1 or 2 jars to open and apply, rather than 6 or 7. 

My dozen, ok - baker's dozen must haves... 

Adobo for "Fajita Thursday"

Fines Herbes for scrambled eggs

California Pepper for nearly everything

Mural of Flavor for nearly everything

Sunny Spain for veggies and fish

Ozark for fish and chicken

Bavarian for roasted veggies and crockpot meals

Northwoods for all meats

Singapore for Asian, Moroccan, Indian

Cumin

Garlic Powder

BBQ 3000 for pork, chicken, and sweet potatoes - summer

Chili 3000 for chili - fall and winter

I do, however, easily have more than this...  I perform an inventory before placing a new order, I swear! I contemplate what I really NEED!  I exercise prudence! Then the new catalog arrives...

I always, always have fresh cilantro, lemons, and limes on hand. They aren't technically spices, but bring Flava to the party

Not much cooking going on this weekend... birthday (dinner out), baseball games (food on the run), and Father's day dinner (picking up a dessert request at Costco).