Spice Racks Blog

So, circumstances change. One day, you may be living in a big house with a large kitchen. Then, you notice a bunch of suspicious phone numbers on your husband’s cell phone bill. Then, you ask him about the numbers, and you get a whole song and dance about ‘work’.  Then, you dismiss it all by feeling that you’ve been paranoid. Then, you find charges on the credit card to the Olive Garden, when you haven’t been there since your anniversary. Then, next thing you know, you’ve moved out to a studio apartment. We’ve all been there, right?

While it’s good having my own space, I’m still trying to find ways to store my old spices (no, not the cologne! Thankfully I don’t have to deal with that anymore). One thing that I’ve found is that kitchen drawer inserts make terrific ad hoc spice racks!

Nice and simple, right? Just because you’re cooking for one, doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t treat yourself right! Plus, it frees up a lot of room in my kitchen cabinets, which is great because, as you know, it’s Girl Scout Cookie season. With the room I’ve gained in my cupboards, I have lots of room to lay in my annual supply of Thin Mints. Remember, the three food groups are chocolate, chocolate, chocolate! Ack!

This drawer insert is made from clear plastic, and holds spice bottles at an angle, so that they’re easy to see. It’s also a good choice for a bedside table, as it can hold prescription bottles of anti-anxiety medication, as well as menthol inserts for a humidifier!

So, have you been switching things up in your life lately? Remember, variety is the spice of life!

Can you believe it’s St. Patrick’s day already? It seems like Christmas was just last week. And Valentine’s Day seems like it was only yesterday. But here we are - it’s another holiday already!

One of my favorite things about St. Patrick’s Day, besides Shamrock Shakes from McDonalds, is Irish Soda Bread. Irish Soda Bread is a great way to get your DSU on! (DSU stands for Daily Spice Use. I’m trying some new acronyms, like Rachael Ray does. Let me know what you think!).  Traditionally, Irish Soda Bread uses caraway - and I certainly don’t want to break with tradition, but I can’t help adding some extra spices TTM (to the mix!). Here’s the recipe I use:

Irish Soda Bread with A Kick

2 c. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. baking soda

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 c. currants

1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1 tbsp. caraway seeds

1 c. buttermilk

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar together. Add spices and currants. Stir in buttermilk to make a soft dough. Knead dough on a lightly floured board for about 1 minute (it’s a loose dough, so don’t feel that you need to add extra flour). Then shape it into a round loaf and put it into an 8 inch greased round pan. Pat flour lightly over the top surface. Then cut a cross shape into the top. Bake at 350 degrees in oven for 40 minutes. Bread should have hollow sound when you tap it.

Irish soda bread is tasty whether you serve it with dinner, or have it toasted with tea. Or, with a neat glass of whiskey. I don’t judge.

So, all the internet seems to be abuzz about some video called “Married To The Eiffel Tower“. It’s about these people that are in love with inanimate objects, like the Eiffel Tower, or the Golden Gate Bridge. Yep, that’s right - people in love with things that just sit there. Sounds like my ex-husband. Just kidding! Not really.

Anyway, the documentary video is pretty interesting. Some people think I love spice racks - but I don’t want to go on a date with a spice rack. But if I did, I would definitely see if the Alder Spice Rack wanted to go get dinner and movie.

This handsome Alder Spice Rack from StacksAndStacks features a smooth lacquer finish, and will accommodate standard sized spice jars and bottles. This spice rack can be either wall mounted, or left on a countertop. It’s sturdy and versatile, the kind of rack that you can take home to mama.

Sometimes though, you don’t want to start a long term relationship with a spice rack. You just want one that will get the job done at the time. Mr Right Now as opposed to Mr Right.That’s why there’s spice racks like the Wall Mounted Wire Spice Rack. This rack isn’t anything flashy or fancy, but if you just want your spices held, it’ll do.

Have you seen any spice racks lately that remind you of an ex? If so, let me know! As soon as I find a spice rack that doesn’t work half the time, and has a wandering eye, I’ll tell you more about my ex-husband.

It’s a vegetable, an herb and a spice. It’s a food and a medicine.  It can ward off vampires, as well as your date if you ate too much at dinner. Garlic is truly one of nature’s multitaskers.

Garlic is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Today China produces 77% of the worlds garlic supply. In the United States, garlic production is centered in Gilroy, Ca. Gilroy takes a lot of pride in their crop, and calls itself the “Garlic Capital of the World” . They have an annual festival with all sorts of garlic treats - even garlic ice cream!

Over the years, garlic has been part of the diet of the laborers of ancient Egypt, used to treat the sunburns of field workers in the Middle Ages, and used to combat tuberculosis and infections during the 19th century. Today, garlic is used to lower cholesterol, as well as promote better blood sugar levels. And of course, it’s delicious!

When you’re cooking, keep in mind that 1/4 of a teaspoon of dried garlic is the equivalent of one clove. Garlic is used in many different cuisines, and cooked many different ways. Roasting garlic brings out its sweetness, and you can spread the roasted cloves on bread - it’s like a luxurious, rich garlic flavored butter. You can slice it thinly and quickly fry it in some olive oil. That produces tiny garlic ‘chips’ that you can use on a salad instead of croutons. You can even pickle cloves of garlic in a mix of spices and vinegar - pickled garlic is a great way to garnish cocktails like Martinis and Bloody Marys.

Often time, recipes ask for grated garlic. Have you tried grating a clove of garlic on a traditional box grater? What a pain - literally! You could lose a finger! I picked up the Garlic Card a few months ago, and I’m loving it! This is a plastic card, that’s very rough - rougher than the toughest sandpaper. All I have to do is rub the clove on the card, and in less than a minute I have a pile of freshly grated garlic. This thing is so much easier to clean than my old garlic press - all I have to do is wash it in hot water - no fiddling around with the holes of a press!

What are you going to use garlic for today? Let me know!

I’ve never had a maid. It seems like it would be nice, but it’s always been a little out of my price range. But I was poking around online, and I found a maid that would fit my budget. It’s the Spice Maid.

The Spice Maid is a sliding spice bottle holder that fits inside any cabinet. It has a deep, bucket style tray that slides in and out of your pantry.  This spice holder is great for bottled spices, as well as packet spices!

This is also a great spice rack for RV cabinets. When you’re on the road, you should still have all of your favorite spices with you.

You know what would be cool - if you had a couple of these installed in your cabinet. Then you could organize your spices according to type, or global region, or however you’d like. You could put all of your Italian style seasonings in one, and Chinese style seasonings in another!