Use Your Spices

The other day at lunch a friend of mine asked me how long her spices would last. Nobody at the table liked my answer which got me thinking that even some of the best cooks I know are using old spices. Here are the guidelines for how long spices are really best; 4 years for whole spices, like whole cloves or fennel seeds, 2-3 years for ground spices, like cinnamon and cayenne pepper and only 1-3 years for dried spices like basil and oregano.  
Now before you go throwing away your whole spice drawer open a bottle and take a whiff, not too big if it is red pepper. If it has a strong defined smell it is probably ok, but as the spices age you may have to add more to get the taste and it still won’t be as good as fresh spices.
My friend Stephanie, who grew up in Baltimore where McCormack spice company started, said they ran a campaign a few years ago saying, “If your spice bottle has a Baltimore address on the back and not Hunt Valley, Maryland, throw it out, it is over 20 years old.” Despite have a corporate headquarters in Baltimore, Hunt Valley has been the packaging location for over 20 years.
Rather than thinking of your spices as some precious exotic item to be used sparingly start using the ones you have until you use them up. I dry pan seared some okra tonight and dosed it heavily in coriander, which gave it a bright citrus flavor. Add some spices to you bottled salad dressing, if you use that, or make a fresh salad dressing by throwing in a bunch of different spices, like basil, garlic and ginger with your oil and vinegar.  
Just be careful not to add too much at first. To this day I hate dill because someone in my house used to add much too much of it to potato or chicken salads. A little dill goes a long way.
If you are an infrequent cook and don’t have any idea how old your spices are start writing the date on the bottle the next time you open something new. In two years any bottle of a dried or ground spice without a date can get thrown away and you will only replace them as a recipe calls for them.
One great way to use up things like nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and cloves is to make a spice cake. Just don’t share it with me, because it is a favorite of mine and can’t only eat one bite!
This message was not brought to you by the spice manufactures of the world, but for full disclosure my Grandfather used to own a spice company called Try Me Spices, so encouraging you to use your spices might be in my blood.