Okay,now I am listening....I had no idea what good rose water could do for me...I only had a rice recipe and I am kind of limiting carbs at the moment. Tea flavoring, eh?
Okay,now I am listening....I had no idea what good rose water could do for me...I only had a rice recipe and I am kind of limiting carbs at the moment. Tea flavoring, eh?
Rose water also makes a nice summertime "cologne" if you like floral fragrances.
I'm steeping rose-flavored tea in the refrigerator right now--I like to add a little rosewater for a flavor boost. You can make an Indian inspired panna cotta with rosewater and/or cardamom. And I bet it would be good in sparkling water. Lassi can be made with yogurt or kefir--rose-flavored lassi is my favorite.
Great, thank you! I had no idea....looked up "lassi" and see that there is a world out there that I've missed.
I keep my spices in the freezer. Seem to last longer that way.
I grow most of my own herbs (and I use chervil on eggs, green beans in green salads), and dry most of them. It seems like since I started doing that I use them more often, and don't have a glut of unused herbs in my cupboards. Spices for baking do not seem to get used up as quickly as they should, mainly because I don't bake much anymore.
I have a funny story about a spice (or is it?): saffron. My hubby was making a recipe out of a cookbook that called for saffron. He had asked me earlier about saffron, what it looked like, etc. but I didn't know he'd been looking at a particular recipe. Anyway, he made this Mediterranean stew and it was delicious! Come to find out, he'd looked in the cupboard for saffron (figuring I had some) and used some dried lemon zest I had in an unmarked jar instead. He thought it was saffron from my description! Ha!
My therapist told me the way to achieve true inner peace is to finish what I start. So far today, I have finished two bags of M&Ms and a chocolate cake. I feel better already!
KayLR, sounds like you have a great tip for improving the Mediterranean stew!
I have moved spices to the basement, tried using rosewater and kefir to make a drink (and found out that I HATE the taste and smell of rosewater....no wonder I don't use it! I think it reminds me of an old aunt, all powdery and perfumed, trying to hug me....).
I have discovered some things like two unopened bottles of mint flavouring. I was sure (!!!) that I had eliminated the duplicates but I found more. And now I know exactly where the most commonly used items are in my pantry. I had already done a few things that I was proud of: I make chai often, using a recipe I think I read on these boards ages ago, but I have a little basket that holds the stick cinnamon, whole cloves, cardamom pods, etc that are included in that recipe. The basket makes that whole process quick. I am trying to bring that same level of (relative) efficiency to the pantry and I guess also to the kitchen.
I never thought of the freezer for spices. If it works for coffee beans, why not? I'm also going to put the mortar and pestle out where I can see them. That works for my saxophone (increases practice time).
So thank you everyone for your great suggestions. I am pretty happy to know that I just plain dislike rosewater, and that once I discovered that, I was able to let it go....
Leslie
The freezer does work for coffee beans, but you have to be careful. Coffee and dried spices are hygroscopic -- they absorb water from the atmosphere. There are some who say to never freeze beans, but, if you do, you should only take out as many as you can use in a few days. Taking out a container and opening it repeatedly just admits more wet air to the beans and they won't last as long. The same for spices. Pack 'em really well (vacuum-seal if you can) and use only what you take out of the freezer.
Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome. - Booker T. Washington
A frost-free refrigerator is actually a very dry environment and perfect for keeping herbs/spices dry. The moisture is involved when you leave the top off while measuring in a humid kitchen, or while you hold the jar to sprinkle into a hot steaming pot of something. Anything that is going to absorb moisture, be sure to add a moisture absorbing "pillow" to it. I save those from several supplements I take, but you can also buy them on-line.
My primary herbs are from my garden and I renew them each year. The best time to harvest and dry herbs is in the spring with the new growth, for optimal strength. Before the first frost I harvest herbs and make them into herbed vinegars, which are often used in Christmas Food Baskets.
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