What Would Make A Good Spice Rack?
I am in the market for a Spice Rack but wanted to know what people think is a most important in a spice rack… in other words what spices must be in it for it to be considered a great spice rack?
I am starting to gather different recipes to cook occasionally, so in reality I don’t know what I really need. I do keep oregano and use it in every meat, poultry or seafood I cook.
I am not much of a cook, all I know how to make is Spanish food (specially Dominican Plates)… but I want to add some variety to my offerings, specially now that I have a great kitchen in which I could accommodate a lot of stuff w/out having to buy everything when I need it.
Thanks for your answers.
7 Responses to “What Would Make A Good Spice Rack?”
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16 Spice Racks
| Olde Thompson 16-Jar Orbit Spice Rack |
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| List Price: $49.99 |
| Amazon Price: $34.99 |
| Knape and Vogt SR12-1-FN 7-13/16" WIDE SPICE RACK IN FROSTED NICKEL |
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| List Price: Varies based on product options |
| Amazon Price: $45.08 |
| Kamenstein Revolving Spice Rack with 16 Filled Jars |
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| List Price: $24.99 |
| Amazon Price: $24.99 |
| Olde Thompson 16-Jar Carousel Spice Rack |
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| List Price: $29.99 |
| Amazon Price: $24.97 |
| J.K. Adams 16-Piece Spice Bottle Set |
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| List Price: $24.50 |
| Amazon Price: $18.50 |
HOW MANY SPICES DO YOU USE? If you use a lot of different spices, would you like one large single-level or multi-tiered shelf spice rack that holds all of them? Or like me, would you like a few different spice racks clustered in one area of the kitchen? If you only keep a few spice jars, then perhaps a spice rack that holds six to eight spice containers is sufficient (especially if your space is limited to a small area of the kitchen). ALSO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU COOK. If you hate spicy food then it wouldn’t do much good for me to recommend chili powder. I would suggest checking to see if you have a Penzey’s in town. Then go and check it out, find some herbs and spices that fit you tastes. GOOD LUCK.
salt and pepper are a must!
everything has salt and pepper
good cooks don’t have a spice rack, the have a spice shelf, or a spice cabinet!
oregano, thyme, rosemary, garlic powder or salt, herbs de provence, white pepper, cumin, italian seasoning, dill, tarragon… to name a few. THose are the ones I use the most, but I have about 4 shelves of spices including bulliion, rubs and marinades.
Musts for me include:
Fresh garlic bulbs
Curry
Basil
Oregano
Cilantro
Mustard Powder
Vanilla Beans
Chili Powder
Paprika
Cayenne
Salt
Pepper
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
Bay Leaves
Garlic Powder (in case you’re pressed for time!)
Onion Powder (see above!)
Old Bay Seasoning
Coriander
Cardamom
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Cloves
Um…yeah….I think that’s about it! You can always have more!!! And the ready made spice mixes are good for the go too!
I’d have to agree with shreveport master – a truly good spice rack is a spice shelf or cabinet. Since I started "really cooking" I can’t believe how my herb/spice collection evolved from a rack into a shelf, then two, and now I’m working on a whole cabinet. For your purposes, though, it really depends on what type of cuisine you prefer. You’ll want some special herbs & spices depending on whether you like, for instance, Greek, Italian, Indian, or Mexican food best. Whether you’re seasoning meats or vegetables, grains, legumes, etc. may also make a difference. A good indicator would be to pull your favorite recipes in order to find out what goes into them.
And just an extra tip: buy your dried herbs and spices in bulk at a regular or organic food store (or ethnic food store if you’d like). They are SO much less expensive than, say, McCormick’s. Also, if you feel so inclined, you can grow your own. I grow basil, chives, cilantro, parsley, and mint. My mother grew fennel last summer along with all the veggies. There are very few limits. As soon as I get a place that gets good sun, I want to do an indoor hanging herb garden. That way we’ll always have fresh.
Good luck and happy cooking!
I have a spice rack that holds eight jars.
Paprika
Oregano
Thyme
Dill
Cayenne
Red Chili Flakes
Rosemary
and Basil (I think that is the last one… )