Spice storage was an issue for me too. When we bought this house, DH spent a weekend making a full length spice rack for the back of our pantry door. I filled it and worried about where to put all those things.

I don't like the upper cabinets for spice storage because you either make things hard to reach horizontally or you waste space vertically. You don't get enough space in pullouts for me.

I did a spice drawer with standing jars and really like how every single jar is easily seen and reached. True, you have to get all your jars the right size and get them set up initially, but it really works so well -- better that the rack on the door. It's more than worth the set-up.

Did you label the tops of the jars or did you use one of the inserts and lay them down at an angle?

That was a tricky one for us too. We have a lot of spices (about 100 I think) in wider than normal tins. I think we came up with a solution: I am having a cabinetmaker build a rack that attaches to the underside of a run of cabinets (along the backspash).

We have ours in a drawer, both standing up (with labels on top) and on a slant with an insert provided by the cabinetmaker. I love this solution as I can add spices as I go and still accommodate specialty tins.

See the link below for some creative solutions from other GW'ers

Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: How to store large collection of spices

Thanks for the pics and the link! I'm going to get the spice rack that hangs on the drawer but then will probably convert some drawer space to hold a few spices too.

Ok, Half of it is up (still waiting to be stained to match the cabinets). 72 spices at my happy little fingertips. 4 ounce tins for bulk buys and mouths large enough to get a tablespoon into. Shelves tall enough to accomodate larger tins (for cinnamon, etc). Now, I just have to figure out what to do with the OTHER 72 spices. LOL.

{{!gwi}}


{{!gwi}}

Eliz, I can't seem to open that link, would you mind re-posting it?

Wow rubyfig! That's one gigantic spice rack! I noticed your Persian Advieh for stew, we also create Persian stews in my household. I'm not sure what advieh is though. I'm still struggling a bit with all of my spices and how best to organize them. I may end up organizing them in a drawer. To top it off, my two DS went to Kerala in India and came back with tons of spices: cardamon, black pepper, white pepper, vanilla bean, and stevia. I've already almost used up two 12-inch cabinets right next to the stove with spices, too, but I do have the problem of not being able to see what is behind one or the other.

Ruby, that looks great!! But even more impressive is your spice collection - I want the recipes that you use Panch Phoran for, for starters (I'm guessing Indian, although I haven't come across that one when cooking Indian food). I thought I was pretty familar with exotic spices for cooking, but that's new one for me.

Okay, try the link again. I tried it in preview mode before reposting and it worked. Maybe the GW gnomes prevented you from opening it the first time.

Eliz

Here is a link that might be useful: Spice Storage

Karena-- I am so jealous that you have a direct link to Indian spices! Persian Advieh for stew and for rice (slightly different in the proportion of the spices):

Advieh (Persian Spice Mixture)
Ingredients

1 ts ground cinnamon
1/4 ts ground cardamon
1/4 ts ground cloves
1/4 ts ground ginger

Thank you Eliz, it is working now :) Looks like the drawer under the rack will be used too :).

I cannot take credit for the entire spice collection. DH imports quite a bit from overseas. It is so hard to find the intense flavors in the US, that we are actually thinking of starting up a site (LOL. Like I need another project).

But my package of peppers did *just* arrive yesterday (and yes, I was so excited I snapped a picture!)

{{!gwi}}

RE: Panch Phoran. The indian dals (Bengali) use it. Happy to look some up for you (most likely from Madhur Jaffrey).

Nice rack!!

Ahhh...Bengali. I have a few of Madhur's so thanks for the tip - I will look. And thks for the recipe above, which will also send me to my cookbooks. I love the Balinese spice co. and the story behind it. If we lived closer to Bali, I swear DH would want us to have a second home there. We both love it but he ADORES it. One can dream.....

Lucky you to have a primo spice source!!

Eliz

Since we're talking Persian spices, I thought I should post the best source for saffron I've found. Highest quality and comes in a beautiful box. They have amazing vanilla too, both beans and extract. And that's it. Specialists.

Regarding spice storage, there are also spice cradles made by Hafele or someone like that. If you go over to Conversations, someone was selling some she didn't need in the Garage Sale, though I don't know if they've gone. I like being able to see through the bottle rather than just reading a label.

Okpokesfan, I don't know how much customization you can get from your cabinet company and you didn't say how wide your tray storage is, but I keep thinking it might be useful to have a door mounted pullout with spices on one side and then dividers for the trays and boards to be put in from above. That way you're only losing to one set of rails and you're getting out all kinds of stuff you need from one place. :)

Thanks rubyfig! Well, that recipe sounds like Persian allspice! Actually, I think it's just a one shot deal though because the DS won't be returning to India any time soon. I have one of Madhur Jaffrey's cookbooks, too. My mouth is watering now just thinking of Persian stew, that's a cool business to have--importing spices. Yeah, you would be great to share recipes with for sure! But I digress...

Plllog - thks for the link! I *love* that they only sell a couple of things (plus kids' posters - an odd match...). Hoepfully they ship to Canada but if not, I'll send some to my sister in SC and she can mail it to me.

Great tip!

Eliz

I stumbled across great glass spice jars at Crate and Barrel. Just love them. Fit in a drawer-- tight lids, hold 4.5 oz and you can put a measuring spoon in them. Bought 30 and might get more.

Here is a link that might be useful:

Eliz, you're very welcome!

Overly, I love those! Thanks for the link!

I don't use a lot of dried spices/herbs, but found the maple insert from WS works fine along with a bamboo tray. Pics are in the link Eliz shared.

Wow! I've never seen so many spices! Awesome storage solutions Eliz and Ruby.

Can't wait for my kitchen to be in so I can see how my idea works. I'm going with a 24" wide by 7" deep base cabinet that sits at the end of my island facing the stove.

i think someone who owns about 10 spices shouldn't have opened this thread. i'm outa here...

LOL Desertsteph...that's close to me as well! But....I do own about 50 baking sprinkles!!!!!

My kids just love the different colors and shapes to use on cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc... Hey, if it means they're more likely to help w/the baking I'm all for all those sprinkles!

buehl - in my cooking days (and canning) i might have had 25 or so. (including food coloring & vanilla) when I moved west in the 80's i threw them out and never bought new ones.
I'm with ya on the sprinkles - I could at least put them on ice cream and cake baked by my bil - lol!
i think my 'spices' will just share a drawer with hot pads and trivets.

desertsteph, I'm in the 10 spices camp too. Well, I have about 20 but rarely use more than the basics. I have a plain vanilla DH who doesn't like any exotic seasonings. Why is it so hard to get spices from India? I would think there would be sources all over the internet.

Fori, why, thank you.

Karena, anytime. :)

Pllog, thanks so much for that link! You are right, Iranian saffron IS the best and I had never seen a US source for it (friends bring some back for us occasionally).

overly, those are beautiful! (I like to keep mine dark on the shelf or I would be on to those in a minute).

judydel, thanks. Can't wait to see yours.

southernsticher, it isn't that Indian spices in general are difficult to find, but the intensity and subtleties of the very best are sometimes not easy to locate. Wynad pepper, for example, is one of the very best peppers you can buy (arguably the finest pepper in the world). It certainly is one of my favorites. This grows on the Wynad Plateau in Kerala. Only natural manure and compost is used on the soil. The pepper is hand-picked at the stage of ripening and the taste varies from year to year (think of it as the spice version of wine). It is pungent, earthy, and woody. The 2008 stock was sold out (the 2009 is just in, in case anyone is looking for it, The salt traders has it). (Geesh, you think I am a little passionate about it?). Anyway, while I love Wynad pepper, I also like variety and finding some (like Penja which comes from Cameroon) proves almost impossible. And, when you do find it, it comes in the fancy little tins in miniscule amounts in the "gourmet" (aka: pay out the arse) section.

Sorry okepokesfan, I didn't mean to hijack this thread (I think I will start a new one for secrect sources).

pullog: Yeah, if you are gonna buy saffron, please get the Persian saffron. We buy ours at a local Arab store. It's even ISO certified.

rubyfig: I'd love to be invited for dinner at your house (yum). Thanks for the explanation on pepper, I didn't know that pepper was that different, but it makes sense.

overlyoptimistic: thanks for the link to the spice jars cuz I need to have a few of those ;-).

Thanks okepokesfan for starting this thread!