Spice Racks Blog

Have you ever had to stash your spices away? You know how it is, sometimes you have people with food allergies who come over, and you have to be sure to hide away any possible allergens. Also, you know how some rude people go to other peoples houses and rummage through their medicine cabinets? Well, I’ve had that happen - but instead of my medicine cabinet, people are going through my spice rack! I’m pretty sure my friend Missy sneaked off with a bottle of fennel pollen that I had! Just kidding! (Not really - give it back, Missy!).

Anyway, sometimes you need to be able to secure your spices. One way to do that is to have a spice rack that can go from counter, to drawer, to even under your bed if you need to. That’s why I like combination Drawer/Counter Spice Racks. This 20 Bottle Magnetic Spice Rack is ready for any location!

The versatile design of this wooden spice rack allows you to use it inside a drawer, or standing on the counter!  The spice organizer includes 20 bottles with clear tops for easy viewing, and magnetic backs for sturdiness when standing.  The free standing spice rack converts easily to a slide out spice rack, so you can change it up depending on your kitchen’s needs.  Made from eco-friendly bamboo, the drawer spice rack features a modern steel front for great kitchen aesthetics!

So, as you see - just because you’re feeling paranoid about people getting at your spices, it doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice style! What ways do you have to ensure that your secret blends of herbs and spices stay a secret? Let me know in the comments!

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!

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!

Sometimes, you crave simplicity. Like the pleasure of freshly washed and ironed cotton sheets. Cream colored ponies and crisp apple strudel. Or even brown paper packages tied up with string. Of course, simple things are all the lovelier when they are also useful. So I hope your next brown paper package contains these Unlabeled Spice Bottles.

Plain spice jars are a terrific idea if you’re starting to build your spice collection. You can go to your local store that sells spices in bulk, pick up  a few different ones, and bottle them up at home. If you like your new spice, you can create a label (or just Sharpie the top of the jar!), and add it to your permanent collection. And if you don’t like your new spice (I’m looking at you, chipotle-carraway blend), just wash out the jar and get ready to try a new herb or spice.

Besides storing spices, these unlabeled jars have many other household uses. 

• They’re a perfect way to store glitter for kids art projects. The shaker style tops help to reduce some of the mess from glitter art projects.
• Are you a beader? These jars are terrific for organizing all sorts of beads. From seed beads to hex cuts and faceted beads, these glass jars can keep them sorted. Don’t feel like you’re stranded without a craft organizer - just get some jars.
• These glass jars are also a nice way to display any sort of small collection. I know of people who, during each trip they take, collect a little bit of dirt from the area they’re in. It’s a perfect way to display collections of sand, or small pieces of beach glass. 
• You can also add a little pizazz to your desk by using these jars (with the lids off) to hold small office supplies like paper clips or staples. Sometimes you just need something a little unusual to lift your spirits, and using uncommon items to store common things is a great way to cure the blues.

What would you put in these spice jars? And yes, you could always fill them with spices and put them on your kitchen spice rack!

Growing up, salt was salt. But then sea salt started gaining popularity. Kosher salt started being used more frequently in home kitchens. And now, it seems that the traditional, iodized table salt is being left in the wake of the gourmet salt revolution!

Flavored salts, once considered a weird gimmick, are taking the culinary world by storm! Secret Stash Sea Salts, out of Seattle, are one of my favorite purveyors of unique salts. They take all natural sea salt, craft unique salt flavors using reduced sauces, spice mixes, and more. The result is hand crafted, artisan salt in flavors like Almond Orange Cardamom, and Lavender Rosemary. They also have a Pineapple Cumin Chili Salt, which I can’t wait to try!

Another fantastic salt is Hawaiian ‘Alea Sea Salt from Hawaii Salt. This sea salt has been enriched with the mineral rich ‘alea clay from Hawaii. ‘Alea Sea Salt has a mild, smooth flavor, and a distinctive reddish color. It’s one of my favorite salts to use while grilling meats.

And if you think that flavored salts are too ‘froo-froo’ for you, may I introduce you to Bacon Salt? Bacon Salt is exactly what it sounds like - salt with the delicious taste of bacon. I tried it on a baked potato - and it was pretty delicious. It’s also vegetarian, so if you or someone you know is a vegetarian who misses the pleasures of bacon, it’s a great gift.

Have you seen any great salts out there? I’m definitely looking to expand my collection!

This is the Mesh Spice Rack. This metal spice rack can be wall mounted, or it can stand on a counter. And you can mount it inside a pantry door. What’s really neat about this spice rack is that because of its basic design - it’s really quite versatile. For instance, you could:

• Mount it on the wall by your stove. Now, I know that keeping spices by the stove isn’t a great idea (the heat makes the quality of the spice degrade faster), but keeping things like salt and pepper, olive oil cruets, and other cooking essentials by the stove is a real time saver. Plus, since this rack has hooks, you can hang your hot pads and oven mitts!
• Running out of bathroom storage? The Mesh Rack is here for you. It’s a great way to supplement the space in your medicine cabinet. You can store vitamins, cosmetics and more! Once again, those little hooks will come in handy for hanging face cloths and wash cloths.
• You can even bring the Mesh Spice Rack to work with you! Mount it on your office wall, and use it as a way to office supplies (notepads, sticky notes, and boxes of paper clips - get them off your desk and on this rack!). Or, another cool idea is to mount this rack in the break room, and fill it with tea (most tea boxes and cans fit on this rack perfectly), hot chocolate packets and other drink necessities. 

And, of course, you can use it for spices in the kitchen, too!