Cleaning out the spice cabinet

[WillTravelForFood]

About once a year or two, we randomly decide to clean up and reorganize/redistribute the spice cabinet.

Move the horrible "C" spices to their rightful place in the back of the bin where they hopefully will not be seen again (clove, coriander, cardamon and friends allspice and nutmeg)

Consolidate duplicate purchases as needed, toss expired items, etc. You know the drill.

Thus far in the "toss" pile are...

• 4.5oz unopened bulk pack of onion powder, date unknown. A bit clumpy (newer product in thr keep pile already)
• Sesame seeds
• Whole cloves (best by 2015)
• Mulling spices, unopened. 2017
• Nutmeg, date unknown
• Dill weed (sell by 2011)
• Montreal steak and Montreal chicken seasoning. Couldn't tell you the last time we used these
• Celery seed, 2018
• Ground thyme 2013
• Some fruit seasoning. Yeeesh
• Some undetermined herb seasoning, clumped
• Edible flower salt, unopened. 2012
• Basil, 20114
• Cedar plank salmon seasoning, origin unknown
• Random baggie of cracked peppercorn
• Random pack of dry rub seasoning, origin unknown and clumpy
• Poppy seeds, 2015 and clumped
• Fennel seed, 2013 and smells not fresh
• Bulk pack of pine nuts, tasted stale the last time we tried them so why are they still here?
• 16 assorted empty spices jars "just in case we need them"

Toss.
Toss.
TOSS!!!

Looking forward to seeing what the cabinet will look like when everything is put back away.

[Jfrosty27]

I need to do this. Long overdue. Kudos to you.

[bbqLuv]

What is that old saying? "If you don't use it, you lose it"!

[Draznnl]

Tossing empty jars!? Oh my! What if you need them? What if you decide to start putting all those packet contents into jars? What if hell freezes over? No, never toss empty jars.

[WillTravelForFood]

There will always be more jars.

Plus, some if these were from the dark recesses of a cabinet for years. If we haven't used them for years, aint no sense keeping them for more

[Bbqmikeg]

Someone needs to make a spice jar drill bit to turn rock back into powder.

[Caffeine88]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

Yep, been there. Recently!! My wife tossed a tiny jar of saffron (!!) that I brought back from a work trip in 2008, and some Indian spices I brought her in 2010.

I gotta admit the date on your basil looks a little optimistic, though. You're right to give it the old heave-ho.
Do tell - what is 'fruit seasoning'?


(Anyone else do this with the medicine cabinet? I just tossed some Kanka beads for painful gums that my 23-yr-old last used in 2nd grade...)

[WillTravelForFood]

"fruit seasoning" was a generic version of Taijin spice, which we occasionally use for non-fruit related stuff.

You can find typically find Taijin in the Hispanic food/spice shelf at the local grocery... or occasionally stocked on a shelf in the produce section near various melons. It should be in the standard spice section, but may be considered too 'specialized' to make it that far. (similar to why Old Bay isn't in the spice section at our local grocer, but near the shrimp desk)

[Caffeine88]

WillTravelForFood
Gotcha - I have seen that one. My wife made something similar for a dish last summer. Tasty, but best if fresh!

[crazytown3]

Just weighing in to report that I love Tajin. I have nothing else to contribute to this because it's been way, WAY too long since I have gone through my spice cupboard.