Storing dried herbs and spices

When you buy dried herbs in the supermarket, they usually come in dispensers. The screw type cover normally has two flip-type openings. One opening is large enough to accommodate a teaspoon and the other has several small holes for sprinkling the contents on the food.

There are spices, however, especially local ones, that come in plastic packets. Storing them for easy use, and for maximum shelf life, can be a problem. For spices that I only buy in small amounts, like star anise, I have small jars with airtight covers. You know, the ones that come with a rack. The jar covers are usually lined with a rubber ring to keep moisture out. The jars are great for spices that used by the piece. But for powdered or ground spices, real dispensers are more practical.

dispensers for salt, spices, dried herbs and vegetables

I found the dispensers in the photo above in a store at Tiendesitas in Quezon City. I bought four and I’m going back for more. They’re clear plastic, not glass. The covers have three openings–one big enough for a teaspoon, another with rather large holes and a third with small holes. They are so practical. Choose the appropriate opening depending on how much of the content you want in your food.

See, having an organized kitchen is a huge part of cooking. If everything is in its proper place, and you have little kitchen helpers like these dispensers, cooking becomes a smooth operation. Just like an office, or even your laptop, getting organized means you get things done faster and with less effort.

dispensers for salt, spices, dried herbs and vegetables

There’s this very thoughtful fellow food blogger who sent me a couple of packs of herbed salt, among other things, for Christmas (thank you!). After opening the first pack of herbed salt this morning, I transferred the contents to two dispensers. One stays in the kitchen cabinet, for cooking, and the other on the dining table for food that are best seasoned after cooking, like grilled lamb chops.

January 7, 2006  Print This Post   
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Comments

6 Responses to “Storing dried herbs and spices”
  1. sha says:
    January 8, 2006 at 4:57 am

    kala ko di mo na nakuha
    i started collecting few things for u
    I heard may uuwi daw feb…
    i thnk of something else… to send other than the salt

    Reply
  2. Connie says:
    January 8, 2006 at 5:05 pm

    nakuha! di pa lang kita na email at nagloko na naman yung kabilang blog yesterday. thank you! bili ako lamb chops tonight. hehehe

    Reply
  3. peterb says:
    January 8, 2006 at 11:01 pm

    looks like Tiendesitas has a lot to offer. i’ll check it out. :)

    Reply
  4. Connie says:
    January 9, 2006 at 9:35 am

    lots at Tiendasitas, peterb. a warning, though. freaking hot in there. ventillation is bad.

    Reply
  5. roshan says:
    March 17, 2006 at 4:07 pm

    Like all asian countries, we in India too use a lot of spices. Though I’am not a cook, my mom uses ceramic jars (small but thick) when she wans spices to be stored for a long time. Usually pickles are stored like these for years together..These jars are called “peengaan” in Tamil…:smile:

    Reply
  6. dhay says:
    March 20, 2007 at 4:39 am

    hi ms. connie,
    they’re so cute! and i like how they have three openings very useful. these jars will be added to my list of stuff that i needed to buy next time i fly back home. sayng lst yr nd kami nakapunta sa Tiendesitas. one of the reason why i miss phils so much, they have very unique stuff and yet very useful at home so it really serve its purpose!

    Reply
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