Which spices don't you have?

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
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We ran this topic over two years ago but since then we have some new membership, so I thought I'd run it again. I think I have most spices that are available here but there are I'm sure, many others out here that I haven't tried. How about you, which spices are missing from your store cupboard? And if you don't have them, is it because you don't like them or don't know how to use them? Or are you stuck in a spice rut?
 
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We are pretty loaded, but I'm sure if we try some more cuisines, we will find new ones to add.
 
I count over 50 on the fridge door and we have containers full in and on top of the pantry and some in the freezer.
 
morning glory said:
I wonder which you have that I haven't? Presume you are only counting spices not dried herbs.
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I just included both. If I narrow it down to spices only there are at least 50. I'm sure there are some that we just don't have access to.
 
Well, I'm sure there are tons I don't have, but then that's because there are tons I don't use. Saffron comes to mind, for example.

Probably the most "exotic" thing I have (as a Midwestern American) is mace. I had to hunt that down. Kroger (even the big superstore) didn't carry it.

The thing with spices/herbs...even though I cook every day, with just two people, it can take a while to go through something even as common as fennel. If all I did was cook, cook, cook, and make sausage from scratch, it'd be easier, but I don't.

We do have a spice market (spicemonger?) in the city, but that's an hour away, and closed one of the two days I (used to) work in the city. That's something I'd like to get better at - buying smaller amounts of spices, because I just don't go through the bigger bottles fast enough, but it's much less convenient initially, and around my house anyway, convenience carries a lot of weight.
 
TastyReuben said:
even though I cook every day, with just two people, it can take a while to go through something even as common as fennel.
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I wouldn't be too concerned about shelf life. They won't go 'off' just lose their flavour. As a general rule, whole spices will stay fresh for about 4 years, ground spices for about 2 to 3 years. I've had fennel seeds longer than 4 years (I just read the sell by on the label!) and they are fine. You can tell simply by smelling them.


TastyReuben said:
there are tons I don't use. Saffron comes to mind, for example.
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Why...oh why? The most exquisite of spices.
 
I have most everything. I don't have sumac, and I don't have harissa (though it is possible I may have the ingredients so I can make it myself, which is what I did months ago with making ras al hanout).

For ground spices, after a year, I give them the sniff test. Although right now I might give them the benefit of the doubt until I get replacements....

At any rate, I have four spice racks on my kitchen walls, with salt, pepper, garlic powder, turmeric hanging out in a drawer right next to the range. There are several Indian spice containers too large to fit in a spice rack, in an upper cabinet.
 
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