Spices age poorly. Spices and herbs should be stored properly to ensure culinary success. Herbs and spices are one day flavorful and pungent. What should a flavor-seeker do?
Herbs are edible plant leaves. Spices are plant seeds, bark, or roots. Dried herbs and spices seem eternal. So what go wrong?
Simply put, they share the same adversaries: light, heat, moisture, and oxygen. UV rays tend to degrade flavor components, resulting in a diminished flavor.
One of the most common opponents is heat. Ironically, the most popular location for a spice rack is frequently the worst. A rack just above or next to the stove is not ideal.
Finally, air exposure promotes the evaporation of aromatic chemicals. These chemicals are responsible for a large portion of what humans experience as flavor.
Buy herbs and spices in lesser quantities to give your food a delicious "facelift." Use them quickly and replace them as needed.
Mark the label with the month and year you added the item to your stockpile of flavors to keep track of its age. It's best to shop for spices in busy stores.
Think about growing your own! Many spices and herbs are simple to cultivate indoors or outdoors. It is one of the best ways to always have fresh ingredients.