Organising spices

corblimey

From about 15 months of learning to cook (I'm still learning), I've amassed 26+ spice jars. Half are the Schwartz shape, the rest made up of Tescos and Goodalls. It's getting to the point now that they're starting to get in the way, and I keep mislaying jars behind jars and buying bloody Cumin yet again!

So I'm just wondering how other boardsie chefs deal with a plethora of spice jars. I was looking at an organiser like this but I'd need at least 2 and maybe 3, and that's a large outlay, plus half my jars won't fit (or so I assume - it looks pre built for Schwartz jars). There's also this which is cheaper, holds more, but I'd have to apply my own labels I guess? Any recommendations?

Mr Magnolia

I've a tubberware container full of the non-frequently used spices at the back of a press. The frequently used ones are in the pull-out larder, works for me anyway.

corblimey

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

I've a tubberware container full of the non-frequently used spices at the back of a press. The frequently used ones are in the pull-out larder, works for me anyway.

What's a pull out larder, Mr Magnolia?

Mr Magnolia

corblimey wrote: »

What's a pull out larder, Mr Magnolia?

Something like this:



I got mine in B&Q and converted a couple of presses I had. They're handy as nothing gets hidden at the back.

foodaholic

I have fallen in love with this spice rack in avoca. But with a hefty Eur220 price tag its a love from afar
http://dstore.com.au/?module=product&action=viewimage&size=111&id=673947

John Mason

we got 3 of these from ikea

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/40070185

Sparks

Mr Magnolia wrote: »

I really wish I had the room in the flat's kitchen to put one of those in
(Ah, kitchen envy...)

There is an Alton Brown tip for this - take small metal tins (which you can get reasonably cheap in various places), and use velcro strips on the base of the tin and on the back side of the press doors (you could also glue a magnet to the base of the tin and stick them to a metal plate for the €10 version of the Avoca spice rack):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heonoRrUfRw

(Go to 05:20 in that video).

If you can't find the tins readily, you can get some on leevalley.com here.

The Sweeper

That's a cool idea about the tins and velcro. I use washed out mini coffee jars. The night nurses at the hospital I work at tend to hoard their own nice instant coffee instead of braving the sachets in the canteen. The jars are glass with a glass lid with a rubber seal, so they're perfect for storing airtight spices.

I used to buy big bags of spice because it was so much more economical, but to be honest if you're not cooking indian food for 8 people every day, you won't use the spices quickly and they'll turn to tasteless sawdust. While the teeny jars are a kick in the pocket, you'll use up and replace the spices in them more quickly, so they'll be fresher and it really does make a difference to flavour.

Sparks

Sod that Sweeper, just buy the spices whole, their shelf life is around 2 years, and grind them as you need them in a €20 coffee grinder.

turlach

where oh where oh where is it possible to buy large ammounts of spices? I have not seen anywhere to buy spices in bulk in Ireland?

Sparks

The asian market on Drury Street in Dublin is very good for that - go over to the leftmost aisle as you enter the shop. Most asian markets have some area like that (but asia market on drury has a lot of indian spices too). Failing that, try health food shops...

The Sweeper

Sparks wrote: »

Sod that Sweeper, just buy the spices whole, their shelf life is around 2 years, and grind them as you need them in a €20 coffee grinder.

That's true. Haven't done that for a while. Isn't it odd how some practices go in and out of 'fashion' in your own home? Still, if you don't store whole spices in airtight containers they do lose their zing. I recently bought a packet of cardamom pods and was pretty horrified to see the difference between them and the ones I'd been storing for about two years! The new packet were a pale green/yellow, the pods were plump and large, the stored ones were faded and dessicated by comparison.

bonkey

We bought one of these, which fits nicely into a small corner in our kitchen:

http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/40116174

Have about 6 shelves of herbs, spices, and other seasoning stuff, and then a couple of taller shelves with the "cooking booze".

Salts & peppers go on one shelf, paprika cayenne and chilli on another, dried herbs on two others, oriental spices on another...because there's maybe only 6-8 things on a shelf, its quick to find stuff. (You do, of course, have to make sure you put things away correctly, but that's a good habit for any kitchen IMO)

We also have a huge variety of different jars and tins picked up over the years. As a result, we know what most things are in from the colour and shape, meaning you don't have to hunt through labels of identical-looking stuff much at all.

It is, of course, a nightmare for anyone cooking in our kitchen who isn't us

Sparks

bonkey wrote: »

It is, of course, a nightmare for anyone cooking in our kitchen who isn't us

Well, yes, but there is a school of thought that says that burglars deserve whatever they get

Minder

We finally got around to buying three of those plastic baskets, they fit across one shelf and are loaded with the spice and herb jars. It's easy to pull the basket out of the cupboard and have a rummage without knocking everything over.

olaola

These are similar to the Avoca ones (which I have, and are great) http://www.ikea.com/ie/en/catalog/products/80102919

But these are a LOT cheaper.

foodaholic

Thanks olaola, do they sell the metal board as well.