Herbs and spices in the grocery store are outrageous. There are some things that I don’t want to buy in bulk but other things, I’m happy to buy in huge quantities. A friend mentioned recently that she was going to place an order with San Francisco Herb Co. and asked if I wanted to add anything. Oh, yes!
Herbs
I ended up getting:
- Bay Leaves – 1 pound
- Greek Oregano – 8 oz.
- Buttermilk Powder – 1 pound
- Citric Acid – 1 pound
- Vegetable Broth Powder – 1 pound
- Saigon Cinnamon Powder – 1 pound
- Lavender Flower Buds – 8 oz.
I am not real sure what the difference is in this Saigon Cinnamon as compared to the China Cinnamon or Vietnamese Cinnamon from Penzey’s except that I paid $4.80 for one pound and at Pennzey’s, the China Cinnamon is $18.90 per pound and the Vietnamese Cinnamon is $35.20 per pound. I have used all three variations in the past and other than them all being a whole lot better than the cinnamon I typically bought in the grocery store, and the Vietnamese Cinnamon from Penzey’s smelling so unbelievably good that I wanted to eat it plain but knew better, I’m not real sure what the differences are in them all but for $4.80 per pound, I like the Saigon better already! 🙂
One pound of bay leaves is a tremendous amount of bay leaves but it was $6.35 for the whole pound! Check your price in the grocery store and see how that compares. I had a bay laurel tree and in 2001, while living in Kentucky, I forgot to bring it in one cold night and lost it. In about 2002, I ordered one pound of bay leaves and divided them up and just a couple of weeks ago, ran out of them. It took 11 years to use them all and I had shared them with friends. I had them on my grocery list and when I saw the price in the store, I said . . no way! So I was happy when my friend mentioned adding a list to her herb order.
Bay Leaves
I vacuum sealed them into 8 quarts and 1 half gallon jars and filled 2 quart sized zipper bags. I will again share them with friends but I will not be buying bay leaves for a very long time. Not only do I cook with bay leaves (soups, stews, roasts, marinades, gumbo) but I add a few leaves to 5 gallon containers of flour, grain, cornmeal . . anything that I hope to keep bugs out of. Also, I throw several into the containers full of yarn. Whether it helps, I don’t know but I’ve heard it does and so far, I haven’t had moths in the yarn or bugs in the grain.
The other items I bought:
- Buttermilk Powder – I keep this and use it quite a bit for baking
- Citric Acid Granules – When canning tomatoes, I use citric acid. Also, for jams and jellies that say to add lemon juice, citric acid can usually be substituted.
- Lavender Flower Buds – I make little sachets with lavender buds and put them in my dresser drawers,a s well as in the containers of yarn to hopefully keep bugs away.
- Vegetable Broth Powder – Many recipes call for vegetable broth and I don’t usually buy it so I don’t have it on hand when needed. It’s so easy to stir the powder into water and have the flavor that enhances the recipe.
If you cook a lot and use a lot of herbs and spices, it might be cost effective to go in with friends and buy and split some of these big containers. Spices and herbs do have a shelf life. Most folks say to get rid of them after one year. I don’t . . they’re just too expensive. I’ll sometimes, after tasting a dish, add a bit more if the spices have become weak. By the time the bay leaves have gotten 10 years old, if I needed 2 in a dish, I might add 4. Keeping them sealed in jars, in a dark and cool storage area helps extend their shelf life. Considering that I paid $6.25 per pound and what they cost in the grocery store, if a few of them completely lose their “power”, I’ll still feel like I got a great bargain.
Kate says
Hi Judy, I had a question on your storing of yarn. Ive just started creating a horde of yarn (unlike fabric, have tons of that). I want to make sure I store it so I don’t have bugs. One thing I read was to put it in the freezer to kill anything, so Ive got half my freezer with yarn in it. I only buy the naturals. I do have some bugs in the house that I cant find where they are coming from so Im paranoid. Ive also read you can wreck your fabric or other fibers by what type of plastic tub you store it in. I have most of my quilt fabric in the great Martha Stewart boxes that she did for Kmart years ago as they specifically said they were formatted for fabric storage. But I don’t have any left for yarn. I will get some bay leaves, any other tricks you use to keep bugs away from that expensive yarn? Your sweater start is gorgeous… Thanks!
Mel Meister says
Last year I found out we had moths and they had gotten into some of my yarn. I have yet to learn out to darn to fix the two pair of socks they ate. I just found a Christmas Stocking today that I started last year and it’s been eaten, too. I keep everything in plastic bags now.
Julie in WA says
I think spices in the grocery store are so expensive because you are paying for the container. I can buy bulk organic spices at the natural food store at incredibly reduced prices compared to the prepackaged stuff! I’ve purchased bay leaves that are so lightweight the scale at checkout has a hard time registering them!
Helen Koenig1 says
I raise a lot of herbs – but like you enjoy ordering more herbs and spices and other stuff from companies (like your site! I’ve used bulkfoods.com as well) I do order more ginger than you do (I make my own gingerale and ginger ade as well!). Regardless – I am very impressed with their tea and spice selections!
Jocelyn says
Wow, they have great prices! And I’m sure they are much fresher then what you find at the grocery store.
Sherrill says
Interesting..never heard of that place but it just MIGHT be a good idea to share with some folks. Course I don’t cook a lot but still..and I never knew a bay leaf in flour and stuff would keep critters away. I had a weevil problem in flour a long time ago and it was GROSS! Don’t wanna deal with THAT again. YUCK!
Diana in RR, TX says
Kept the site for later. I think we may be remodeling the kitchen in the near future. Not the time to stock up but after things are done, that’s a different story!
Helen Koenig1 says
Diana – OT – but if you are remodeling the kitchen – where shall I send the condolence cards as you try to deal with all the remodeling mess?
BTDT and it was supposed to be only a LITTLE mess! HAH!
Diana in RR, TX says
And it is going to be major! am not looking forward to the mess but am looking forward to the end product! probably a cass of wine would be better than cards! will see what happens and when!
Helen Koenig1 says
How about an all expense paid vacation to Tahiti instead? (the contracters/builders pay for it! LOL I wish!) A trip that will last just as long as it takes them to get the remodeling done!
Susan says
I’m with you, Judy. I don’t throw them out! I will have to check your source. I was just looking at the spices and herbs last night, thinking about what I need to stock for medical emergencies and looking at Mountain Rose. They have discounts for bulk, and sometimes I go in with someone, and sometimes I just do it myself. It’s so funny you should post about herbs today and I was thinking about it last night!
JudyL says
You know what they say about great minds! 🙂
Shari says
Judy. I’ve had bay leaves in my pantry since we bought the house in ’99 with no trouble with bugs, etc. I also agree about keeping them until they’re used up. That’s my nickel and I’m keeping as many of them as possible these days.
Linda Steller says
I just discovered that one of the local upscale grocery stores has bulk spices. Even at their inflated spices, what I need from their containers ends up being so much less than buying the bottles in the grocery store. And – I think their stuff is actually fresher. Oh – and there’s a big bay laurel tree over by the library on the UO campus! LOL