Do you have a pantry full of spices that have been in there since - well, you don't know when they were first purchased? Perhaps you got them when you were first married as a wedding gift, but now, that was 5, 9, maybe 12 years ago or when you first moved out on your own you may have 'borrowed' some from your mother's pantry. Now...how long ago was that again?
Spices may not necessarily be a food danger after all of those years, but they will certainly begin to lose their flavor and potency after the first year. Yes, the FIRST year.
As many of us are planning our Thanksgiving and holiday dinners and events, we will no doubt be reaching into the pantry for those spices, yes, especially those in the very, very back of the cupboard - those that many use only once or twice a year.
The good news is that you can revive those spices with a very simple trick. Lightly toast your spice right before you use it in your cooking. The toasting or pan roasting on the cook top will help to reactivate the oils in the spices and will add the flavor that was intended to make your dishes incredible!
Spices can be expensive, especially when recipes call for so many unique and varied ones. You may not need to toss out your favorites or specialties, just give them a pick-me-up to bring out their aromatic oils and flavor. Now, if they've been in your cupboard for 10 years...well...I'll leave that to you...
Happy Thanksgiving!
Jamie Knoll
