Where do you buy Spices?

[alamashdar]

We have a local coffee shop that is owned by the owner of a local delicatessen. Therefore, he sells the spices he gets in bulk for the deli for GREAT PRICES at the coffee shop. It's a win win for all

 

[MEM]

Yet another vote for Penzey's! We watch our sodium intake and they have the very best salt-free blends of herbs and spices. Their Chili 9000 is a salt-free blend but you don't miss the salt. If I could only convince them to start making a salt-free taco seasoning mix....I know I could make my own, but I'm sure Penzey's would be so much better. For baking they have a double-strength Mexican vanilla, several KINDS of cinnamon, you name it.
For Christmas I gave DS15's Special Ed teachers some Penzey's gift boxes and I could tell they truly loved the gift.

 

[MarilIncredible]

I buy my spices at the Amish market (only open Thursday afternoon - Saturday). They are much cheaper than the grocery (and they smell better, too).

 

[C.Ann]

I buy some of them at Big Lots or Ocean State Job Lot, I think the brand is "Spice Island" and they have big jars for about $1..

Same here - as well as Aldis and the five-and-dime over in town.. As long as you check the expiration dates, they're fresh and just as tasty as the teeny tiny containers at the market for $6 or more..

I do a lot of baking of breads, cakes, and such - make a lot of muffins (some of which call for some really unusual spices) - as well as the regular cooking and my Christmas cookie baking marathon each year.. The spices are great and everything is very tasty!

 

[rebeccalb10]

1. CVS has a good variety of basic spices for $1

2. If you grocery store has both a spice aisle and ethnic aisles.. definitely price compare.. the ethinic aisles -- USUALLY -- have a better price.

 

[Pastamom]

LOVE Penzy's - if you don't have one near you you can order online...If you get there catalog, they have some good coupons too.

Love their BBQ 3000, pizza seasoning and sandwich sprinkle

 

[kassreese]

Penzey's is where I buy most of my stuff. I love their Singapore Seasoning and Shallot Salt. Heck, I like most anything from them.

I also go to a local place called Planters Seed. They are right near the farmers market so it's convenient.

 

[klam_chowder]

Wow, what a great thread - I'd never heard of Penzy's but there were so many replies for it, I looked it up and what do you know - they opened a store in town last year!

From what I've read here, I'm excited to check them out. Last year we looked at so many port stores to find good quality Mexican vanilla - going to Penzy's is going to a lot more affordable than the cruise

I shop the ethnic stores for bags of tumeric, cumin, cayenne, etc. - excellent quality and prices. For spices I can't find there, I shop at Wegmans. I wish we had a bulk food store where you could just buy little amounts of what you needed - especially for baking. I used to live in a city that had that...when am I ever going to finish a bottle of molassess?

cheers,

 

[shortbun]

I get a lot in the Mexican Food section of my grocery. Cinnamon, clove, cumin and on and on for about $1.69 a small jar as opposed to $5 or $6 in the regular spice aisle. I grown lots of herbs and dry them in the summer too or use fresh for as long as I can. That is very cheap. Oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, mints, chives are all in my yard and cost me next to nothing 'cept the cost of the original plant. I bring in a couple of them in the winter. Why not try it?

 

[klam_chowder]

I grown lots of herbs and dry them in the summer too or use fresh for as long as I can. That is very cheap. Oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, sage, mints, chives are all in my yard and cost me next to nothing 'cept the cost of the original plant. I bring in a couple of them in the winter. Why not try it?

That's a really good point! I also grow basil and for the first time just transplanted cilantro outside. I didn't think to dry the herbs tho...think I will pick some more up. A few homes ago, I used to have an indoor herb garden - reminds me to get back to it - thx!

cheers,

 

[cndij]

I buy mine from Atlantic Spice Co. online at www.atlanticspice.com Used to be you had to buy a pound of anything (still really cheap for a pound) but now a lot of things they have in smaller sizes as well. A pound of Bay Leaves is $5.50 to give you an example and comes in a huge pillow like bag. I have a friend I split some things with, if I don't think I'll use it up quick enough.

 

[Pugsley]

Wow, what a great thread - I'd never heard of Penzy's but there were so many replies for it, I looked it up and what do you know - they opened a store in town last year!

That's too funny. I've never heard of Penzey's either so I looked it up and there's one three miles from my office! I may be heading over there at lunch time.

 

[Golf4food]

That's too funny. I've never heard of Penzey's either so I looked it up and there's one three miles from my office! I may be heading over there at lunch time.

Don't go hungry - it smells amazing inside Penzey's - you'll wind up buying tons of things and/or getting even hungrier!

 

[dex08]

That's too funny. I've never heard of Penzey's either so I looked it up and there's one three miles from my office! I may be heading over there at lunch time.

I spend hours in Penzey's!! Lunch time wouldn't be enough time for me!! Sign up for their mailing list while you are there!

 

[MEM]

I spend hours in Penzey's!! Lunch time wouldn't be enough time for me!! Sign up for their mailing list while you are there!

One of the neat things about Penzey's is that they have their herbs and spices in little apothecary jars so you can smell them before buying. I always smell the lid rather than stick my nose in the jar...

 

[Bren's Mom]

I spend hours in Penzey's!! Lunch time wouldn't be enough time for me!! Sign up for their mailing list while you are there!

Ditto that!

I just got my new catalog yesterday, complete with a coupon good for ANY small jar of spices...FREE!

 

[cndij]

I just checked out Penzey's website. I found it very interesting especially the diversity in particular spices types, I mean in cinnamon alone they have 9 different kinds. I will definitely be trying them for some of the things I can't get from Atlantic Spice. But for those of you that are using them exclusively, if it's something that is a heavy user for you, you really ought to check out the prices at Atlantic Spice. The cheapest cinnamon at Penzey's their Indonesian one is $13.60/pound, whereas Atlantic Spice has Vietnamese Cinnamon for $4.35/pound and their regular cinnamon is $2.75/pound. I have been using them for about 10 years, and my dad had been using them for another 10 before that, so I think their quality is good.

 

[Figment's Girl]

Just wanted to tell you guys that I went to Penszeys today for the first time and we loved it! My DH, DS12, and DS5 went with me, DS5 played in the kid area while the other three of us shopped. My DH isn't much of a cook but he does like the different flavorings in food and DS12 loved reading all of the descriptions.

We bought a ton of stuff but I know it's all stuff we will use a lot of. As a matter of fact I used the BBQ mix on the burgers I made when we got home.

 

[Figment's Girl]

For those of you who use Penzeys, is their Onion and Garlic Powder worth it? I'm running low on both (Generic) and I just started using Penzeys which I love but didn't know if there was enough of a difference to make the trip.

 

[sTINKS]

I definately think their garlic is worth it! I can tell the difference between using their garlic and store bought. It's a much stronger garlic flavor. Their sliced dried onions are nice to have on hand if your are cooking something and don't have a fresh onion, or don't want to cut one up. Also love their 4S salt blend, Hungarian Paprika (can tell a difference from grocery store bought), Adobo Seasoning and Medium Chili Powder.......

AND in the winter, their peppermint cocoa is amazing!! So good on a snowy day.