Spice Racks Blog

I was organizing my spice racks the other day, and I started thinking about two of my favorite things, the SOHO Five Spice Under Cabinet Rack, and Phil Collins. Do you like Phil Collins? I’ve been a big Genesis fan ever since the release of their 1980 album, Duke. Before that, I really didn’t understand any of their work. Too artsy, too intellectual. It was on Duke where, uh, Phil Collins’ presence became more apparent. I think Invisible Touch was the group’s undisputed masterpiece. It’s an epic meditation on intangibility. Just like how the SOHO Five Spice Under cabinet rack is an epic meditation on the ability to keep five of your favorite spices close at hand, whenever you need them. The strong magnetic backs ensure that the spice jars stay affixed to their complementing board. Much like the magnetic pull I feel towards the music of Phil Collins – at the same time, it deepens and enriches the meaning of the preceding three albums. Listen to the brilliant ensemble playing of Banks, Collins and Rutherford. You can practically hear every nuance of every instrument. In terms of lyrical craftsmanship, the sheer songwriting, this album hits a new peak of professionalism. Take the lyrics to Land of Confusion. In this song, Phil Collins addresses the problems of abusive political authority. In Too Deep is the most moving pop song of the 1980s, about monogamy and commitment. The song is extremely uplifting. It’s almost as uplifting as the holding power of the mounting hardware that comes with the SOHO Five Spice Under Cabinet Rack. The lyrics are as positive and affirmative as anything I’ve heard in rock. Phil Collins’ solo career seems to be more commercial and therefore more satisfying, in a narrower way. Especially songs like In the Air Tonight and Against All Odds. But I also think Phil Collins works best within the confines of the group, than as a solo artist, and I stress the word artist. This is Sussudio, a great, great song, a personal favorite. And here is the SOHO Five Spice Under Cabinet Rack, great for any modern loft apartment.

Suffering from the post-holiday blues? Need a new and exciting project to reinvigorate your outlook? Here’s a great idea that will only take an afternoon, but will enhance the quality of your cooking for the rest of the year: go through your spice rack, and toss all the old bottles.

Spices do indeed have a shelf life, and their quality can greatly decrease as they age (quite unlike us, gentle reader!). A good rule of thumb is to have a yearly purge, and toss out everything that’s about to celebrate its first birthday. And if you happen to have a lot of McCormick spices, their website has a really cool feature! You can actually enter the codes from your bottles to check the freshness! Although, they also say if you have any bottles that were manufactured in Baltimore, don’t bother entering the code – they’re at least 15 years old. The Charm City strikes again!

And after you’ve culled your spices, why not give them a new home? There’s a gorgeous steel, wall mounted Spice Rack at StacksAndStacks right now. This rack has three shelves, and I really like how spice bottles are neatly held in place by the curved metal accents.

So, don’t you think it’s the perfect time to get rid of your old spices?

Hey everybody! How have you all been?  I recently took some time off, and went to Greece for an extended vacation. I figured that going to Greece would be a great way to get over my  divorce, and I was right! Now I’m back, recharged and ready! Now I’m ready to get back to telling y’all about the latest and greatest in spice racks.

One of the most famous things in Greece is the Parthenon! I saw the Parthenon, and I could only think of one thing when I saw it (No, not Gerard Butler’s abs in ’300′!). First – take a look at the Parthenon:

Now, take a look at this Wall Mounted Magnetic Spice Rack:

The resemblance is totally there, right? That’s why when I saw the Parthenon, I thought of this Wall Mounted Magnetic Spice Rack – and I knew I was ready to go home. This spice rack is pretty much a full set. It comes with twelve bottles, labels, and the rack! You know how some spice bottles flip open, and you spill everything? Not with this one – the canisters have locking mechanisms, which keep your spices inside! You can mount the spice rack to your wall, and the magnetic canisters attach to the rack. It’s a great way to keep your spices organized, that’s for sure.

Travel is a great way to clear your mind, and remind you of the important things in life. Plus, it can inspire you to see your spice racks in a different way when you get home. Like Mark Twain said “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness”. It’s also fatal to taking your spice racks for granted. It was nice to get away, but it sure is nice to be home again!