Buying herbs and spices
Discussion
I'm moving shortly and will be living alone and would like to buy a load of herbs/spices before I go so I can still eat tasty food.
Does anyone here buy online or from specialist herb shops (any in Bristol?) or do people mostly just use Schwartz etc?
Wondering if anyone has any good tips, I'm thinking of buying a few bits from this site as the prices seem decent:
http://www.spice-master.com/home.php
Really looking for pretty basic stuff (basil, chives, parsley, ginger, paprika, garam masala etc, nothing too unusual)
Ta
Does anyone here buy online or from specialist herb shops (any in Bristol?) or do people mostly just use Schwartz etc?
Wondering if anyone has any good tips, I'm thinking of buying a few bits from this site as the prices seem decent:
http://www.spice-master.com/home.php
Really looking for pretty basic stuff (basil, chives, parsley, ginger, paprika, garam masala etc, nothing too unusual)
Ta
Buy spices whole (Asian supermarket as said) and grind them in a pestle and mortar or manual grinder. An electric grinder gets too much heat into the spices and wastes the volatile oils.
Herbs - no idea. Work out what you are going to use most often and plant them in the garden. Stuff like rosemary and bay will survive year-round.
Herbs - no idea. Work out what you are going to use most often and plant them in the garden. Stuff like rosemary and bay will survive year-round.
Edited by Mobile Chicane on Thursday 7th October 02:04
Mobile Chicane said:
Buy spices whole (Asian supermarket as said) and grind them in a pestle and mortar or manual grinder. An electric grinder gets too much heat into the spices and wastes the volatile oils.
Herbs - no idea. Work out what you are going to use most often and plant them in the garden. Stuff like rosemary and bay will survive year-round.
Growing is what I'd do ideally but sadly my garden will have regular visits from deer making it almost impossible to grow anything outside.Herbs - no idea. Work out what you are going to use most often and plant them in the garden. Stuff like rosemary and bay will survive year-round.
May be able to grow a few herbs on indoor windowsills.
Anyone know any good Asian supermarkets in Exeter?
Japveesix said:
Mobile Chicane said:
Buy spices whole (Asian supermarket as said) and grind them in a pestle and mortar or manual grinder. An electric grinder gets too much heat into the spices and wastes the volatile oils.
Herbs - no idea. Work out what you are going to use most often and plant them in the garden. Stuff like rosemary and bay will survive year-round.
Growing is what I'd do ideally but sadly my garden will have regular visits from deer making it almost impossible to grow anything outside.Herbs - no idea. Work out what you are going to use most often and plant them in the garden. Stuff like rosemary and bay will survive year-round.
May be able to grow a few herbs on indoor windowsills.
Anyone know any good Asian supermarkets in Exeter?
I've had no luck with basil, coriander or dill - devoured by greenfly.
Fair enough, might try some herbs then. I know the deer have happily consumed the previous occupants veg patch (cucumbers/cabbage etc) and thought herbs would be just as tasty.
Will try a few hardy/woody things and possibly a few less hardy indoors (old farmhouse means the windowsills are about 1 1/2 foot deep inside so ideal for growing
)
Will try a few hardy/woody things and possibly a few less hardy indoors (old farmhouse means the windowsills are about 1 1/2 foot deep inside so ideal for growing
)Asian supermarkets are the way forward. You can buy a bag of fresh and authentic stuff in most cases for the same price as a little pot of age old processed rubbish would cost you in a supermarket. Just buy some containers.
The only problem is that everytime I pop into one for a few essentials I usually leave with a bag full of things!
The only problem is that everytime I pop into one for a few essentials I usually leave with a bag full of things!
Gassing Station | Food, Drink & Restaurants | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff