Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Spice up the New Year

 I thought I could come up with a new recipe daily ,then January came and almost went. I've been looking through my cookbooks to find something new and decided to be true to my "blog philosophy"-Texas  Healthy or Healthier. So over the next few blogs I would like to cover pantry items. Spices and their shelf-life was one of my concerns, so I did a little research.
 Spices don't spoil, per sey, they loose their flavor over time. Most cookbook writers would have you believe spices hold their flavor  for about 6 months but if stored in an airtight, cool, dry space away from light whole spices (peppercorns, nutmeg,cinnamon sticks,ect.) will last up to 4 years. Ground spices stored properly last  2-3 years but there is no way to know shelf life. Leafy spices(parsley,basil,cilatro,ect.) have a shelf life of 1-3years depending on storage.
 So when dealing with spices apply these  few simple rules and spice up your life. Don't shake spices directly into the food your cooking  because the humidity can break down your spices. Finally look at color, crush in your hand to release the oils and check for a good aroma.

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