Like water-skiing, calculus, and poker, spice organization is a skill—an art—that simply eludes me.
The only space we had for spices in my childhood home was a deep, three-shelved cabinet; the spices extended all the way to the back wall. To need, say, dried oregano or a cinnamon stick or just a half-teaspoon of mace was to remove every jar from the cabinet, peering at the labels of each until the desired spice was located; then all of the removed spices had to be shoved back into the cabinet, and the door closed quickly so as to keep them from springing out. (Never mind the poor, unsuspecting soul who would open the cabinet next.)
As you might suspect, this was not a pleasant experience. My mother and I spent a lot of time devising new systems—none of which held.
But I really think my latest strategy, which was inspired by our new exclusive open-shelved, apothecary-style spice cubby from Peg and Awl, will work.
The idea is to corral the spices I use the most—and the spices I want to use more of—and set them out in plain sight for easy access. I'll put homemade, mortar-and-pestle-ground spice blends there, too; keeping them where I can see them will make me actually use them, instead of getting all excited about them and then losing them to the depths of the spice cabinet.
Here are a few ideas for sugar and spice blends to keep within reach:
To make, combine about 1 teaspoon flavoring for every 1/4 cup sugar or salt. Mash lightly in a mortar & pestle to release the flavors.
- Cardamom pods + ground cinnamon sugar for stirring into coffee or sprinkling onto caramels
- Tomato salt to put on radishes, eggs, and the rim of your Bloody Mary
- Lemon peel sugar for sweetening tea
- Star anise sugar to sprinkle over yogurt, rice pudding, or a pot of mulling wine or cider
- A furikake-inspired salt, with nori + sesame + Korean red pepper, to toss with popcorn, rice, tofu, or roasted vegetables
- Matcha salt for bringing color and brightness to popcorn, fish, and stir-fries
What are your best tips for organizing an ever-growing collection of spice jars? Please send help (via the comments.)
Written by: Caroline Lange
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3 Comments
I usually keep about 4 going, one warm, one spicy, one herbal, one cumin-based.
*Cinnamon Plus (maybe Hawaidj for coffee, British baking spice or the like). I use that on toast, in baked goods, in tomato dishes, in brewing coffee or flavoring tea.
*A spicy rub or all purpose seasoning, for grilling, meats, vegetables, soups. Once upon a time it was Emeril Lagasse's Essence. Now it's Texas All-Purpose Rub from Ari White, an El Paso native now working in New York.
*One herbal blend, e.g. Italian, herbes de Provence or Za'atar.
*One cumin-based or curry, currently one of Julie Sahni's curry blends.
I will rotate these with others, either favorites like Vong Table Salt or when learning a new dish/cuisine like Jerk Chicken.
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