Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Replenishing the Herb & Spice rack

Collapse

X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Replenishing the Herb & Spice rack

    I have a wooden herb & spice rack - like this but with 18 jars.

    Click image for larger version

Name:	0940be984fff3f4be468b901364673c3--pallet-spice-rack-diy-spice-rack.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	94.2 KB
ID:	2404738

    I've had it years, the contents are well past their best, so I've binned the lot. However, it made me wonder whether it was possible to grow the herbs & spices to refill the jars.

    Some are easy, some challenging and some, probably impossible in the UK.

    What do you think?

    Bay leaves
    Caraway
    Chervil
    Cinnamon
    Coriander
    Cumin
    Curry spice
    Ginger
    Mace
    Mint
    Mixed herbs
    Mixed spice
    Parsley
    Peppercorns
    Rosemary
    Sage
    Thyme

    The observant will notice that there are only 17 jars. I haven't a clue where the missing jar is or what it contained

    How many could you fill?

  • #2
    Depends how mixed herbs and mixed spice are defined
    sigpic
    1574 gin and tonics please Monica, large ones.

    Comment


    • #3
      Reckon you can do most of those VC:-

      Bay - got a lovely bush in a pot, will never buy dried bay leaves again
      Caraway - never grown it but perfectly possible in the UK I believe
      Chervil - also grow it
      Cinnamon - no chance I believe it's bark off a tropical tree
      Coriander - easy
      Cumin - reckon you could grow this if you get a hot summer
      Curry spice - no telling what is in the blend, so best left alone
      Ginger - possible in a greenhouse I reckon, never tried it, but there's always next year
      Mace - is the husk of a nutmeg, whose tree would not grow here
      Mint - weed of the devil unless contained in a pot
      Mixed herb - blend as you see fit
      Mixed spice - probably a lot of things in there that cant grow here, like nutmeg, allspice etc
      Parsley - easy
      Peppercorns - intriguing, grow in temperate humid places up wires/strings like hops to a great height. Could work
      Rosemary - easy if no R.beetles
      Sage - easy
      Thyme - easy, lemon thyme is delicious

      Others to consider for your spare jar:

      Dill - easy and I use it in my gherkin vinegar recipe
      Chives - to include in my cheesy mash, mmmm
      Basil - so good
      Oregano
      Marjoram

      Presume you'd use all these fresh and wait until we get towards the end of the season before drying for use in the winter.
      Are y'oroight booy?

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi Vince & Thanks

        I have
        Bay
        Mint
        Parsley
        Sage
        Thyme
        and, from your extras - Chives, Marjoram, Oregano.

        Schwarz mixed herbs are Marjoram, Basil, Oregano, Thyme.
        Mixed Spice is Ground Cinnamon (Cassia )(40%), Ground Coriander (38%), Caraway, Nutmeg (4%), Ginger, Cloves so that's a non-starter.
        Medium curry powder is Ground Coriander (30%), Salt, Turmeric, Ginger (8%), Fenugreek (7%), Cumin (7%), Mustard Flour, Garlic Powder, Allspice, Cayenne Pepper, Black Pepper. Could grow most of those, maybe

        Comment


        • #5
          Lets see :-

          You probably have alot of these already, the rest shouldn't be a problem to grow :-
          • Bay leaves
          • Caraway
          • Chervil
          • Coriander
          • Mint (loads of choice here)
          • Parsley
          • Rosemary
          • Sage (another one with loads of varieties)
          • Thyme (yet again loads of different types to choose from)
          • Cumin

          • Mixed herbs - depends what the mix is - Tescos mixed herbs includes Thyme, Marjoram, Parsley, Oregano, Sage, Basil all of which are doable.
          • Mixed spice - the Schwartz mixed spices includes Ground Cinnamon (Cassia), Ground Coriander, Caraway, Nutmeg, Ginger, Cloves - some may be trickier e.g. cloves (a substitute could be the root of Wood Avens aka Clove Root)



          • Cinnamon - this is the bark off a tropical vine. IIRC it grows for 2 years, is cut down, the bark stripped off and the plant regrown. May grow in a greenhouse.
          • Mace - this comes from the covering of the nutmeg kernel. Nutmeg is a tropical tree so may not prosper in the British Isles. Now sure how the taste of Mace compares with English mace (Achillea ageratum)
          • Peppercorns - could try growing the vine in the greenhouse I suppose. What about a substitute such as Sichuan Pepper - would they grow?
          • Curry spice - different plant to the silver grey herb (Helichrysum italicum). The Curry Tree (Murraya koenigii) is a tropical plant but can be grown indoors or in a greenhouse
          • Ginger - I've tried and failed a couple of times but that's probably just me as there seems to be alot of people gowing it.

          New all singing all dancing blog - Jasons Jungle

          �I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."
          ― Thomas A. Edison

          �Negative results are just what I want. They�re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don�t.�
          ― Thomas A. Edison

          - I must be a Nutter,VC says so -

          Comment


          • #6
            I believe peppercorms are IMPOSSIBLE to grow in the UK, even in a heated Greenhouse.

            I just need someone to prove me wrong now! The peppercorm challenge perhaps!
            My Majesty made for him a garden anew in order
            to present to him vegetables and all beautiful flowers.- Offerings of Thutmose III to Amon-Ra (1500 BCE)

            Diversify & prosper


            Comment


            • #7
              You could add

              Fennel seed
              Winter savoury
              Lemon grass
              Cayenne
              Location ... Nottingham

              Comment


              • #8
                From that list, I am currently growing


                Chervil
                Coriander
                Cumin...struggling
                Curry spice..ground up dried chillies, so that counts
                Mint
                Mixed herbs
                Mixed spice
                Parsley
                Rosemary
                Sage
                Thyme

                also growing
                Dill - for dill seeds for seasoning
                Basil -
                Oregano
                Marjoram
                Fennel
                I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives....


                ...utterly nutterly
                sigpic

                Comment


                • #9
                  another couple to add to your ideas list;

                  Saffron ( one of the chaps at our site planted a load of saffron crocus bulbs last year, but they are a bit fiddly to harvest)
                  Poppy seeds for bread etc
                  Dried garlic flakes
                  Mustard seeds (apparently you have to harvest before seeds fully ripen, else they self seed everywhere!)
                  Aniseed
                  Angelica

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    How about
                    • Savory
                    • Turmeric
                    • Paprika
                    • Cayenne
                    • Basil
                    • Chives
                    • Onion seed
                    • Celery seed
                    • Coriander leaf
                    • Nasturtium seeds
                    • Nasturtium flowers
                    • Safflower flowers (false saffron)
                    • Juniper berries


                    Or vanilla pods - may need a heated greenhouse and you have to tickle the flowers at the crack of dawn each morning on a pair of stepladders.

                    Not really a spice but rosewater
                    Last edited by Jay-ell; 06-07-2017, 09:02 AM. Reason: adding more

                    New all singing all dancing blog - Jasons Jungle

                    �I have not failed 1,000 times. I have successfully discovered 1,000 ways to NOT make a light bulb."
                    ― Thomas A. Edison

                    �Negative results are just what I want. They�re just as valuable to me as positive results. I can never find the thing that does the job best until I find the ones that don�t.�
                    ― Thomas A. Edison

                    - I must be a Nutter,VC says so -

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by Snadger View Post
                      I believe peppercorms are IMPOSSIBLE to grow in the UK, even in a heated Greenhouse.

                      I just need someone to prove me wrong now! The peppercorm challenge perhaps!
                      You can grow Szechuan pepper in the uk, after all it gets cold in China in winter

                      Jurassicplants Online Tree Nursery

                      https://www.plant-world-seeds.com/st...XYLUM+SIMULANS

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Another Bump from the past

                        A bit like the Growing Seeds to eat thread at https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...eat_72965.html

                        Maybe time to revisit this as I still have a lot of empty jars.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I don't want to put a dampener on your idea but you should really keep them in the dark, either in a cupboard or drawer or if you want them in a rack in tins rather than glass jars to keep the light out.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            I have a spice rack, although more modest in size, that I've put on the inside of my larder cupboard, for that exact reason.
                            https://nodigadventures.blogspot.com/

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by greenishfing View Post
                              I don't want to put a dampener on your idea but you should really keep them in the dark, either in a cupboard or drawer or if you want them in a rack in tins rather than glass jars to keep the light out.
                              Its inside a cupboard though why I keep a rack full of empty jars puzzles me.

                              The photo in #1 was lifted off the net somewhere.
                              Last edited by veggiechicken; 09-02-2020, 12:08 AM.

                              Comment

                              Latest Topics

                              Collapse

                              Recent Blog Posts

                              Collapse
                              Working...
                              X