Thread: Fresh ground Nutmeg/Cinnamon vs. the pre-ground spice jar type

[email protected] wrote:

> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?

I don't know about cinnamon, but freshly grated nutmeg is a hell of a lot
nicer than the stuff in a can or bottle.

[email protected] wrote:

> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?

I don't know about cinnamon, but freshly grated nutmeg is a hell of a lot
nicer than the stuff in a can or bottle.

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> > have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> > I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> > the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
>
> I don't know about cinnamon, but freshly grated nutmeg is a hell of a lot
> nicer than the stuff in a can or bottle.

Ditto! Most definitely nutmeg ground freshly is way better and more
tasty than the pre-ground stuff. Whole nutmeg lasts for years and is so
easy to buy, keep, and grate as needed. I cannot comment about the
difference of freshly or pre-ground cinnamon.

Sky

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

Dave Smith wrote:
>
> [email protected] wrote:
>
> > Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> > have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> > I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> > the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
>
> I don't know about cinnamon, but freshly grated nutmeg is a hell of a lot
> nicer than the stuff in a can or bottle.

Ditto! Most definitely nutmeg ground freshly is way better and more
tasty than the pre-ground stuff. Whole nutmeg lasts for years and is so
easy to buy, keep, and grate as needed. I cannot comment about the
difference of freshly or pre-ground cinnamon.

Sky

--
Ultra Ultimate Kitchen Rule - Use the Timer!
Ultimate Kitchen Rule -- Cook's Choice

[email protected] wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> Thanks

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fresh nutmeg. I have the tiny little grater I picked
up long ago in Germany which stores the nut in the little hinged cubby
at the top above the grater.
I don't grind cinnamon, but I do buy really good Vietnamese cinnamon
from Penzey's.

[email protected] wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> Thanks

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fresh nutmeg. I have the tiny little grater I picked
up long ago in Germany which stores the nut in the little hinged cubby
at the top above the grater.
I don't grind cinnamon, but I do buy really good Vietnamese cinnamon
from Penzey's.

On Apr 16, 7:30�pm, techman41...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> Thanks

All whole spices are a thousand times better than pregroud, perhaps a
million times better... mostly because you have no idea what/who is
in preground.... plenty rodent turds and roaches are ground along with
the spices in preground, gauranteed.

And all whole spices maintain their potency for many, many years...
but once ground they lose their potency very quickly.

All preground stupidmarket spices are pretty much worthless, not only
don't you know waht/who is in it,, it's not dated, could have been
ground years ago... and isn't stored very well either so it hasn't a
chance... you're better off wiping your arse with those dollars.

On Apr 16, 7:30�pm, techman41...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> Thanks

All whole spices are a thousand times better than pregroud, perhaps a
million times better... mostly because you have no idea what/who is
in preground.... plenty rodent turds and roaches are ground along with
the spices in preground, gauranteed.

And all whole spices maintain their potency for many, many years...
but once ground they lose their potency very quickly.

All preground stupidmarket spices are pretty much worthless, not only
don't you know waht/who is in it,, it's not dated, could have been
ground years ago... and isn't stored very well either so it hasn't a
chance... you're better off wiping your arse with those dollars.

[email protected] wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?

With nutmeg, there's no comparison. I don't usually home-grind
cinnamon.

> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?

The preground stuff loses its potency after 6-12 months, in my
experience. These days, I don't buy more spices (whole or ground)
than I can use in a couplefew months.

Serene

[email protected] wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?

With nutmeg, there's no comparison. I don't usually home-grind
cinnamon.

> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?

The preground stuff loses its potency after 6-12 months, in my
experience. These days, I don't buy more spices (whole or ground)
than I can use in a couplefew months.

Serene

Serene <[email protected]> wrote:

>With nutmeg, there's no comparison.

Agree. I use a microplane, it works wonderfully.

> I don't usually home-grind cinnamon.

Nor do I, but I will buy whole cinnamon sticks (these are
actually cassia), and place them in a sauce, curry, etc.
to steep, much as one would throw in a bay leaf, and remove
it later.

>> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
>> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?

I would say several months. I've used nutmegs older than that
and they are still better than pre-ground nutmeg.

Steve

Serene <[email protected]> wrote:

>With nutmeg, there's no comparison.

Agree. I use a microplane, it works wonderfully.

> I don't usually home-grind cinnamon.

Nor do I, but I will buy whole cinnamon sticks (these are
actually cassia), and place them in a sauce, curry, etc.
to steep, much as one would throw in a bay leaf, and remove
it later.

>> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
>> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?

I would say several months. I've used nutmegs older than that
and they are still better than pre-ground nutmeg.

Steve

On Apr 16, 4:30*pm, techman41...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> Thanks

Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but we had
plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the Robocoup and grind them
up- bad idea. They started smoking and started to melt the inside of
the bowl!

On Apr 16, 4:30*pm, techman41...@yahoo.com wrote:
> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> Thanks

Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but we had
plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the Robocoup and grind them
up- bad idea. They started smoking and started to melt the inside of
the bowl!

merryb wrote on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:04:50 -0700 (PDT):

m> On Apr 16, 4:30 pm, techman41...@yahoo.com wrote:
??>> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg
??>> and cinnamon have better flavor in recipes vs. the
??>> pre-ground spice jar type? I know that the preground stuff
??>> can last for years. Does anyone know the shelf life of
??>> whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks? Thanks

m> Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but
m> we had plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the
m> Robocoup and grind them up- bad idea. They started smoking
m> and started to melt the inside of the bowl!

There has been a nutmeg grater available for a long time (a
nutmeg or two is kept in it) and it is not a problem to grate
enough in a few seconds. A spice (coffee) grinder will powder
pieces of cinnamon stick.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

merryb wrote on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:04:50 -0700 (PDT):

m> On Apr 16, 4:30 pm, techman41...@yahoo.com wrote:
??>> Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg
??>> and cinnamon have better flavor in recipes vs. the
??>> pre-ground spice jar type? I know that the preground stuff
??>> can last for years. Does anyone know the shelf life of
??>> whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks? Thanks

m> Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but
m> we had plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the
m> Robocoup and grind them up- bad idea. They started smoking
m> and started to melt the inside of the bowl!

There has been a nutmeg grater available for a long time (a
nutmeg or two is kept in it) and it is not a problem to grate
enough in a few seconds. A spice (coffee) grinder will powder
pieces of cinnamon stick.


James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

E-mail, with obvious alterations:
not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

merryb wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> > have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> > I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> > the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> > Thanks
>
> Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but we had
> plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the Robocoup and grind them
> up- bad idea. They started smoking and started to melt the inside of
> the bowl!

The plastic used for food processor bowls is not meant to take the
high speed bashing of cinnamon sticks, you may as will process rocks.

merryb wrote:
> wrote:
>
> > Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
> > have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
> > I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
> > the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
> > Thanks
>
> Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but we had
> plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the Robocoup and grind them
> up- bad idea. They started smoking and started to melt the inside of
> the bowl!

The plastic used for food processor bowls is not meant to take the
high speed bashing of cinnamon sticks, you may as will process rocks.

On Thu, 17 Apr 2008 09:31:27 -0700 (PDT), Sheldon <[email protected]>
wrote:

>merryb wrote:
>> wrote:
>>
>> > Can anyone attest to whether freshly ground whole nutmeg and cinnamon
>> > have better flavor in recipes vs. the pre-ground spice jar type?
>> > I know that the preground stuff can last for years. Does anyone know
>> > the shelf life of whole nutmegs and cinnamon sticks?
>> > Thanks
>>
>> Once at a place I was working, we were out of cinnamon, but we had
>> plenty of sticks. I decided to put them in the Robocoup and grind them
>> up- bad idea. They started smoking and started to melt the inside of
>> the bowl!
>
>The plastic used for food processor bowls is not meant to take the
>high speed bashing of cinnamon sticks, you may as will process rocks.

I found that out with cloves years ago and ruined the bowl in about 2
seconds. I use a coffee grinder with a metal bowl now. Works like a
charm.

Lou