Cardamon is a spice...very distinctive taste....I can buy a tiny jar for about a dollar.....
Are you buying whole pods? seeds? or ground?
Try somewhere else...it costs about the same as cinnamon or ginger here....
Or email me your address and I'll put some in an envelope ands end it to you....
$12???? Ridiculas!
Linda C

Yes to everything Linda said.

If you'd said 12 bucks a pound I might accept it. But not for one of those McCormick jars.

Is there a substitute??? Yes its ground in the Green glass McCormick jar at a regular supermarket

No substitute....
What are you making?

If you have an Indian spice store by you, you can buy it pretty darn cheap by the bagful.

Otherwise use ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, coriander seeds or mace. Or pumpkin pie spice mix. I have to agree with Linda, really no substitute.

You made me look!
The last bag I bought was $11.85 lb.
My purchase was 0.06 of a lb, for $0.71.
This was at an Amish Health Food Store, near Arthur, IL.

Jan

Last week here I was looking for the Swedish Meatballs and then a friend said she had a really good recipe and it called for Cardamom...the recipe has ginger and allspice...i just didnt put it in and they came out delicious...but it puzzles me how my local supermarket (and its a standard supermarket called Waldbaums) has it for $12.00 and your buying it buy the pound for that amount hmmmm!!! wish I had a closer Trader Joes mine is 10 miles away

Eileen, Trader Joes doesn't carry it. Penzeys does!

Here is a link that might be useful: Penzeys cardamom

I went to a grand opening of a new grocery store here in N.C. Harris Teeters. They had McCormick ground cardamom 1.7 oz. jar for 12.00! I checked out Penzeys, it looks a lot more reasonable. My question is have any of you ordered from them before. Are the spices fresh? Have you been happy with them! TIA...Gina

No worries there Gina- Penzey's is a forum favorite!

I caved, I went grocery shopping last night and before I went I found a 10.00 coupon if I sent 100.00 or more. So I checked out their price for cardamom and it was only 11.29, so really I got it for 1.29! (I can spin it any way I want!) I do see an order at Penzey's in my future! Darn those Dirt Bombs, since I've seen them I can't think of anything else! Thanks for your help Compumom. Gina

Cardamon spice is the dominant flavor in pre-made chai, I believe.

It tends to go for around $12 up here in Massachusetts, too... I usually stock up when I'm visiting family in other parts of the country!

Although there is no substitute, if you're making an Indian dish with lots of other spices it will also taste great without it.

I hope things worked out for you!

We went shopping last night, and out of curiousity I checked. At WallyWorld: The little McCormick bottle was $10.62. At Kroger, $10.99.

I can't believe those prices. Will be in Lexington, today, and will check bulk prices for a comparison.