Zanzibar spice storage: Modern Practices vs. Ancient Wisdom
Blue Spices source the finest spices from Zanzibar; the taste of paradise. It is vital that we ensure that the spices we sell retain their freshness and potency. Blue Spice’s packaging is designed to keep the spice fresh for you. We are proud that we package paradise and deliver it to your door.
Then once you have purchased our spices online, we are sure that you want to preserve the freshness of paradise.
So, in this article we explore how to store each of these exotic spices in your home and contrast modern practices with some of the ancient methods.
In ancient times, people used various ways to store spices, like cloves to keep them fresh and potent. Here we pass on some common storage ideas and just a few ancient tips to keep that paradise taste fresh.
Ancient practices for storing spices
Drying Spices
- Air Drying: Spices were often dried in the sun or in well-ventilated areas to remove moisture, which helps prevent mold and spoilage.
- Shade Drying: Some spices were dried in the shade to preserve their color and flavor.
Sealing and Storage
- Clay Pots: Spices were stored in airtight clay pots or jars to protect them from moisture and pests.
- Glass Containers: After the introduction of glass, clay containers gradually became more common and used to keep spices dry and fresh.
- Leather Pouches: Nomadic communities sometimes used leather pouches to store and transport spices.
Cool and Dark Places
- Cellars and Caves: Spices were often stored in cool, dark places like cellars or caves to extend their shelf life.
- Underground Pits: In some regions, underground pits were used to keep spices cool and dry.
Salting and Smoking
- Salting: Some spices were mixed with salt to draw out moisture and preserve them.
- Smoking: Smoking spices was another method to enhance their flavor and preserve them for longer periods.
Natural Refrigeration
- Streams and Ponds: In certain areas, spices were stored in containers placed in cool streams or ponds to keep them fresh.
These methods helped ancient people maintain the quality and potency of their spices for extended periods, ensuring they could enjoy their flavors and benefits throughout the year.
Spice storage today with a pinch of ancient wisdom
Modern Spice Storage
Do spices go bad?
Spices, like any foods, have a shelf life and will eventually go bad. How long that shelf life is will depend on the specific spice and how much cared is taken.
Down through the years anyone storing spice will tell you that heat, humidity, air, and sunlight all have detrimental effects: they break down the essential oils (chemical compounds) that give spices their aromas and flavors. When these essential oils break down the flavors lose their strength. In some spices, flavors, and aromas can become stale, moldy, or dirty at which point the spices should be thrown away.
We get asked many questions about the storage and shelf life of our spices. Here are a few of the most frequently asked questions:
How long do spices and herbs last?
Kept in ideal conditions, spices can have a long shelf-life, with a great fragrancy:
🌶️ Dried herbs will keep for 1-3 years.
🌶️ Ground spices will keep for 1-3 years.
🌶️ Whole spices will keep for 3-4 years.
🌶️ Salts will keep indefinitely (some flavored salts may loose their potency over time but the salt is still good).
Please note; these are just estimates, and the actual shelf life of a specific spice may vary. It is best to research recommendations for specific storage details, and as previously mentioned, it’s always a good idea to use your senses (smell, taste, and appearance) to check if a spice is still fresh before using it in a recipe.
What is the best way to store spices?
Where to store Spices? – To extend the shelf life of your herbs and spices, store them in a cool, dry, and dark place, away from heat and moisture. Avoid storing them near the stove or in the sunlight. It’s also a good idea to keep herbs and spices in airtight containers to prevent exposure to air, which can cause them to lose their flavor and aroma more quickly.
Can I store spices in a freezer or in a refrigerator?
Some people are adamant that a refrigerator provides an ideal place to store spices due to its dark and cold nature. Unfortunately, humidity can cause the flavor of various spices to alter or the spices to even grow bacteria or go moldy. For this reason we do not encourage storing spices in a freezer or refrigerator unless they have been vacuum sealed. In addition, avoid storing spices in cupboards above heating elements as the heat can cause spices to spoil more quickly.
In conclusion, spices can go bad and it’s important to understand their shelf life and proper storage techniques to ensure their maximum flavor and potency. Remember, fresh spices are key to creating delicious and flavorsome dishes!
Storing Nutmeg spice
Modern Storage:
🌶️ Airtight Containers: Store nutmeg in airtight containers to prevent air exposure. Glass jars with tight seals work well but please make sure that they are hidden from sunlight.
🌶️ Cool and Dry: Keep nutmeg in a cool, dry place away from sunlight and any heat sources.
🌶️ Shelf Life: Whole nutmeg can last over a year, while ground nutmeg should be used within a few months12.
Ancient Stored Wisdom:
🌿 In the Shell: Ancient civilizations stored whole nutmeg in its protective shell. The shell can preserve the kernel’s flavor for more than a year.
Storing Cardamom spice
Modern Storage:
🌶️ Dark Containers: Use dark, airtight containers to protect cardamom from light, air, and moisture.
🌶️ Keep it Cool and Dry: Store cardamom in a cool, dry place (pantry or cupboard) away from direct sunlight and heat.
Ancient Stored Wisdom:
🌿 Spice Islands: Keep it dry. Cardamom were highly prized from the Spice Islands in Indonesia and Africa. cardamom was carefully dried, packed, and transported across land and sea, enriching ancient civilizations with its aromatic allure!
Storing Vanilla beans
Modern Storage:
🌶️ Cool and Dark: Keep vanilla beans away from sunlight and heat. Keep the vanilla well ventilated in a dry environment.
🌶️ Airtight Containers: Wrap in wax paper or plastic to maintain flavor and aroma.
Ancient Stored Wisdom:
🌿 Spice Islands: Keep well ventilated & dry. Like cloves, vanilla was sourced from the Spice Islands and influenced global trade routes. Traders used to wrap the beans in dry cloth, and place them in clay or wooden aeriated pots to keep the vanilla dry and away from sunlight, minimised handling but kept the vanilla well ventilated.
Storing Cloves
Modern Storage:
🌶️ Cool and Dark: Store cloves in a cool, dark place away from sunlight and heat.
🌶️ Airtight Containers: Wrap cloves in wax paper or plastic wrap to prevent flavor loss.
Ancient Stored Wisdom:
🌿 Currency and Luxury: From around the 3rd century BCE onwards cloves have been used as currency and were associated with wealth and health. So keeping cloves locked up or in dark hidden places really helped to preserve them.
In Summary
In summary, modern practices emphasize airtight containers, cool storage, and protection from light and moisture. Avoid storing in fridges or freezers unless the spices are unopened and vacuum packed. Ancient wisdom relied on natural materials and clever techniques to achieve the same thing. This wisdom was passed down generation by generation, within the community. Now you know too.
The history of spices goes back a long way. The first mention of cloves is in the Chinese literature of the Han period, around the 3rd century BCE.
The spice called hi-sho-hiang (“bird’s tongue”) was first used as a breath freshener; officers of the court were required to place cloves in their mouth before discussions with their sovereign.
The popularity of spices in both cuisine and medicine reached its historical peak during the late Middle Ages in Europe. Food in medieval households was highly processed and richly spiced. Uncooked food was rarely eaten, even vegetables and fruit. The spices were used to season all types of food including meat, fish, soups, sweet dishes, and wine. It even became popular in medieval banquets to pass around a spice platter from which guests could choose extra seasonings for their already richly accented meals. The noted expert on medieval gastronomy, Paul Freedman, tells us that “spices were omnipresent in medieval gastronomy” and “something on the order of 75% of medieval recipes involves spices”