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How many herbs/spices do you have?


Reya
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I live a short walk from a store which sells bulk spices, so I only keep day-to-day spices on hand. That's 15, plus tins of Coleman's mustard powder and good sweet and hot paprika.

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Lots and lots. I have what are probably unhealthy relationships with Penzeys and Kalustyans. They compound the issue by sending free samples, thus fueling my addiction.

 

And to make matters worse, I have about an hour to kill when I take the kid to a particular activity every week, and I find myself in a neighborhood with several Asian groceries. So in addition to the boxes at my door every few months, I now have bags of chili powder and cumin the size of bed pillows. Oh, and the dried oregano and savory hanging from my garage rafters? I try to pretend they're not there.

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Are we talking just dried herbs and spices? Not that many. Sea salt, peppercorns, Himalayan salt (because why not?), garlic powder, chili powder, cumin, oregano, chili flakes, herbes de provence, 21 Seasoning Salute (Trader Joe's), African spice rub, ginger, shichimi togarashi, a couple different kinds of furikake, goma shio, probably a few more.

 

If you add the other seasoning/sauce items, it's quite a bit more. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced ginger, Chinese rice wine, Chinese black vinegar, mirin, sake, chili paste, ponzu sauce . . .

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If you add the other seasoning/sauce items, it's quite a bit more. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced ginger, Chinese rice wine, Chinese black vinegar, mirin, sake, chili paste, ponzu sauce . . .

 

 

Oh, goodness...I do hope we're not counting those, as I think I'd have to go into rehab. They're just so beautiful and tempting. And I know I'm not alone. Yesterday afternoon I was standing in the vinegar aisle at the Japanese grocery just gazing in awe. Another woman came up next to me and said, "I know, right?" You'd have thought we were at an art gallery.

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I live a short walk from a store which sells bulk spices, so I only keep day-to-day spices on hand. That's 15, plus tins of Coleman's mustard powder and good sweet and hot paprika.

 

So glad you posted this! I had not realized that they had retail stores, and I googled and found one (reasonably) near me.

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If you add the other seasoning/sauce items, it's quite a bit more. Soy sauce, oyster sauce, minced ginger, Chinese rice wine, Chinese black vinegar, mirin, sake, chili paste, ponzu sauce . . .

 

I have a huge liquor/wine/vinegar cabinet, and it's all for cooking!!!!

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Huh. I don't see candied ginger as a spice... it's a treat. Better than chocolate. Well, better than all but very good chocolate.

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Ha...I was thinking 'why wouldn't someone have cardamom and candied ginger??' and then 'why would someone have juniper berries unless you're really into European game cooking??'

 

Its all so individual.

 

 

Now I need vanilla beans. And Boyajian lemon oil. And I'm pretty sure we're out of mirin and hoisin.

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Whole cardamom (neither kind), whole vanilla beans, and candied ginger. Also fenugreek, mahlab, and juniper berries. All of these I've needed recently and not had.

 

I've never managed to justify keeping junier berries around or candied ginger, but I couldn't live without whole cardamom or fenugreek. If you lived nearby I'd give you some of both because I have lots right now. I'm going to try a fenugreek cake soon.

 

And I agree that you sound like a great cook!

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Wow- around 20, maybe 25.

 

And I thought I was so adventurous and culinary. I grew up in a hoem with salt, pepper, and, ummmmmmm..... ummmmmmmm iitation vanilla.

 

Seriously- I don;t remember spices growing up.

 

well, I know my mom HAD them, but I don;t ever remember her using them. I think she still has McComick's in the rectangular tins. OK, she's gotten more adventuous too.... but still- 50? WOW! I droll over the Penzeys catalog. And just yesterday I had to sub. because I didn;t have tarragon.

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