Herbs and spices are a great complement to cooking and they might even provide a medicinal benefit at the same time. When many of us buy herbs and spices, we head to the herb and spice section at a local retailer. Grocery stores have shelves lines with little glass jars of ground herbs and spices. When these herbs and spices were ground at the processing plant, packaged, and shipped, their flavor began to erode. By the time you get around to actually using them, these herbs and spices are little more than packaged dust. The growing popularity of herbs and spices and the ease of purchasing them over the Internet makes freshness a new opportunity for more buyers. As you begin to buy herbs and spices online, what should you consider? Follow a few simple suggestions.
1. Buy "organic" herbs and spices where they are available. Most herbs and spices thrive under organic methods of production. Not only will you be supporting a good farming practice, you may also have increased flavor and improved antioxidant properties. If you are seeking herbs and spices for medicinal purposes, a lower chemical organic item is all the better. Organic prices may or may not be higher. The price depends on the production techniques for that item. Some herbs are very easy to grow with organic methods.
2. For optimal freshness, store your herbs and spices in glass jars with well-fitting lids. For bulk storage, store the jars in a cool, dark place. You can put smaller portions into little containers in your spice rack. You can always use old spice jars for your new purchase if those jars did not contain very strong-flavored items. If you do so, wash and dry them thoroughly. Setting them in the sun for a day or two will ensure that they are dry enough and will not support mold growth. Be sure to make new labels for your jars before you forget the contents.
3. Buy whole leaf herbs and whole spices that have not been powdered. Your herbs and spices will stay fresher longer if your grind them yourself in your kitchen. Try an experiment: fresh grind some nutmeg and smell the pungency. With a whole leaf or spice, use a coffee mill and grind it when you are cooking or baking. Add it to your recipe fresh ground. The fresh ground spice will release its flavors right in your kitchen and your food. Of course, when buying whole leaf herbs, every dried herb will crush to some extent in packing and shipping, but you want one that resembles a leaf to the greatest extent possible.
Shop for organic, whole leaf herbs and whole spices. Buy and store in bulk for best savings. You can buy fresh herbs and spices locally at natural foods stores or at ethnic markets. Trusted Internet vendors are a great option too.
1. Buy "organic" herbs and spices where they are available. Most herbs and spices thrive under organic methods of production. Not only will you be supporting a good farming practice, you may also have increased flavor and improved antioxidant properties. If you are seeking herbs and spices for medicinal purposes, a lower chemical organic item is all the better. Organic prices may or may not be higher. The price depends on the production techniques for that item. Some herbs are very easy to grow with organic methods.
2. For optimal freshness, store your herbs and spices in glass jars with well-fitting lids. For bulk storage, store the jars in a cool, dark place. You can put smaller portions into little containers in your spice rack. You can always use old spice jars for your new purchase if those jars did not contain very strong-flavored items. If you do so, wash and dry them thoroughly. Setting them in the sun for a day or two will ensure that they are dry enough and will not support mold growth. Be sure to make new labels for your jars before you forget the contents.
3. Buy whole leaf herbs and whole spices that have not been powdered. Your herbs and spices will stay fresher longer if your grind them yourself in your kitchen. Try an experiment: fresh grind some nutmeg and smell the pungency. With a whole leaf or spice, use a coffee mill and grind it when you are cooking or baking. Add it to your recipe fresh ground. The fresh ground spice will release its flavors right in your kitchen and your food. Of course, when buying whole leaf herbs, every dried herb will crush to some extent in packing and shipping, but you want one that resembles a leaf to the greatest extent possible.
Shop for organic, whole leaf herbs and whole spices. Buy and store in bulk for best savings. You can buy fresh herbs and spices locally at natural foods stores or at ethnic markets. Trusted Internet vendors are a great option too.
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