Buying Dried Herbs and Spices

by Sandra Bowens

For a long time I was an advocate of buying seasonings in bulk from a wholesaler. The fact that I happened to sell them this way served to reinforce my opinion. You do get a better price and higher quality. Problem is, quality suffers as it takes you two years to use up a pound of dried parsley (which, by the way, comes in a bag about the size of a pillow case).

I've come up with three keys to avoiding this problem.

1. Buy from a busy purveyor. Look for a reputable mail-order house that deals only in herbs and spices (see links). Health food stores are often good sources for loose seasonings but if their containers are dusty from disuse, better go somewhere else.

2. Set up a mini-cooperative among your friends. Mail-order wholesalers may have minimum purchases that are beyond what you will use in the next six months or even a year. Organize a circle of friends to split quantities with and you will all save money.

3. Buy small quantities frequently. Sometimes we have to sacrifice paying a little more for quality. Pass up that quantity discount if you know in your heart you are buying a lifetime supply.

You will find shopping for herbs and spices is great fun for the senses. Be bold; taste them. Take in the deep, rich colors and the intense aromas. You will be able see and smell the difference in quality over time.

This is a great opportunity to experiment. Try something new each time or just get a familiar seasoning in a different form. The more you know, the more you will be able to enhance your cooking.

Terms you should know

whole—this is the original form—think of peppercorn, seeds or cinnamon sticks

cut and sifted—c/s—herbs that have the stems removed, are chopped and passed through a sifter—think of basil and oregano

fine cut—same as above but the sifter is smaller, not quite ground

leaf—herbs are stripped from stems—think of tarragon or thyme

ground—a powder—think of cinnamon or ginger

granulated—the texture of sugar—a great way to get garlic and onion

Remember: Consider weights carefully. A quarter pound of dill weed will be a much larger quantity than a quarter pound of granulated garlic.