CasaSugar

Is Your Spice Cabinet Organized?

partysugar — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 09:00:38 -0800

Yum's January Must Haves

partysugar — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 12:50:20 -0800

Welcome 2010! The new year means it's a time for fresh starts and culinary resolutions. We're eating healthier, shopping smarter, and cooking greener - and we're encouraging you to do the same! Here are five items that will help you do so.

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YumSugar Gift Guide: The Time-Strapped Professional

YumSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:19:40 -0800

For friends and family who love food but claim to be too busy to cook, give them the best gift they can receive: more time.

With a new bevy of tools, your loved ones can save both time and effort in the kitchen. This salad shooter means no more chopping; an electric vegetable peeler gives them more time to hang out (with you!). And they can use this handheld cream whipper to turn heavy cream into ethereal whip with the mere touch of a button.

Want more gift ideas? Browse the selection below or check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

DIY: Magnetic Spice Strips

CasaSugar — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 05:00:00 -0800

Good-looking, counter space-saving spice racks are hard to find. So, why not hang your spices on the wall? My Aim Is True has a great DIY that'll help you both to see and store your spices out in the open. You'll no longer have three half-empty containers of cinnamon hiding in the back of your cabinet, or four different brands and shapes of spice jars sitting uncoordinated in your cabinet. To learn the how to make this spice rack, read more

Supplies:

Watchmaker's Tin Cases
Super strong magnets
Hot glue gun and glue sticks
Magnetic strips (or here and here)
White paint pen
Spices

Here's how:

Heat up your glue gun.
Glue the super strong magnets to the back of the tin cases.
Let dry.
Collect your spices. Pour them into the tins.
Jot the name of each spice on either the front (if you have good hand-writing) or back of the tin using the paint pen.
Install the magnetic strips on your wall. Don't put them too close to the heat source; it may damage the spices.
Make sure your tins are screwed closed tightly. Then, hang them on the strip! Voilà!

If you're really lazy, you can just buy The Container Store 5-Canister Magnetic Spice Rack ($14.99), but the DIY is more economical. Also, if you have a magnetic fridge, you can ditch the strips all together and just attach the tins to your refrigerator door.

Source

Su Casa: A Compact and Charming Kitchen Sink

CasaSugar — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 07:31:37 -0700

Today's Su Casa comes from a gallery that Arielrb38 posted showing off her fourth-floor walk-up in Washington, DC. (Want to share your photos? Here's how to post in the Su Casa group.) She makes great use of a small space with the spice rack and hanging fruit baskets, and the plants and the colorful poster really add life to the nook.

Spring Cleaning - Clean Out the Kitchen and Spice Rack!

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:08:37 -0700

Boing!!!
In case you were wondering, that's the sound of a spring. Today, March 21, is the first day of spring and although I love spring, one of the things I don't enjoy 100% is spring cleaning. But the joy of opening up the windows and letting the light in is accompanied by the observation of all those grimy spots that you just never noticed when it was dark and dim during winter. So, do yourself a favor and wipe down the walls, dust off the shelves, wipe down the blinds, clean the oven and the fridge and all those other big-time chores that you've been putting off. Although I dislike spring cleaning (oh who am I kidding, I pretty much hate cleaning whether its spring, summer, or fall), one of the things that I always do (always=once before, but I'm hoping it becomes a tradition) is clean out my spice rack.

To check out my tips for clearing out your spice rack, and yes, old spices need to be cleared on out, read more

Okay, so you've got a bunch of spices that you've had in your cupboard forever and ever. How do you know when it's time to toss them? Well, believe it or not, ground spices/herbs are best the first 3-4 months after they've been opened and will really only retain their flavor for about a year (maybe a little longer for spices). They won't hurt you in any way (unless they've been infested with bugs, which means just toss and replace), but their potency will have weakened. Whole spices (nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, etc.) should last about three years. Seeds (such as sesame and poppy) can go rancid; so if you're unsure about them, don't risk it. Baking powder lasts 6 months and baking soda 18 months. Oh and salt? That guy can stay; his pal seasoned salt only gets to hang out for a year.

Since you're spring cleaning, toss out anything that has been in your cupboard for a long time and start over. When you buy replacement spices, be sure to label the purchase date on the bottle, this way you won't have to do the sniff/taste test to see if they're still good.

Have a question about a specific spice? Drop us a line, or leave a comment below!

Say Farewell to Old Spices

YumSugar — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:32:09 -0800

The other day reader Marni dropped a line asking whether or not her mostly unopened spice rack she received four years ago was still good. I started to respond to her, when I realized that she's probably not the only one wondering how long spices last.

First of all, spices don't necessarily "go bad." Those spices you've got stored in the back of the cabinet won't harm you, however, they do lose their potency and flavor. As a general rule, most ground herbs and spices will retain their flavor for about a year and three years for whole spices (whole nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, etc). However you'll find the best potency in the first three to four months. If sealed and unopened, ground spices may last two years. A good trick is to write the date of your purchase on the spices and toss them out a year after opening and two if unopened.

Another important factor in a spice's life is storage. Spices need to be stored in a cool, dark place away from heat and moisture. The spices you've got in the fancy glass jars on the kitchen counter (you know, the ones that get all that sunlight) are going to have an even shorter lifespan. The heat and light will suck the flavor out faster than you realize. The refrigerator is also not a great place for storage as the humidity can harm the spices as well.

And although most spices won't hurt you when they're old, seeds such as sesame and poppy can go rancid, so if you're unsure of them, toss them out!

Off to Market: Spice Jars

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 03:00:10 -0700

From allspice to cayenne pepper, spices are essential to even the most basic kitchen. While I've accrued more and more spices over the years, I certainly haven't amassed more kitchen storage space. I've decided that I need a set of spice jars, or a spice rack, to organize everything methodically and efficiently. Let's set off to market for a range of spice jars that are as decorative as they are useful. Bookmark your finds in the Yum Market with the keyword tag Spice Jars. I'm excited to see your finds!

To learn more about the bookmarking feature, please read geeksugar's explanation.
Don't know where to start searching? Check out a list of my favorite online stores when you read more.

Bed Bath & Beyond
CB2
Cooking.com
Crate & Barrel
Ikea
Linens 'n Things
NapaStyle
Pier 1 Imports
Plum Party
Pottery Barn
Sur La Table
Target
Restoration Hardware
Williams-Sonoma
Wishing Fish
World Market

Don't Forget to Share Your Kitchen With Us!

partysugar — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:30:13 -0800

Last week I showed you how I've organized the kitchen cabinets in my new studio. Now I want you to share your kitchen with us! Whether you've got an amazing spice rack or simply a beautifully arranged baking shelf, like YumSugar's shown here, snap a photo. Then upload it to the Savory Sights group in the YumSugar Community.
I'll be featuring the most inspiring kitchens here on YumSugar, so start sharing now! Be sure to read this participation tutorial to learn more about uploading photos. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us because we'd love to see you join the YumSugar Community.

Share Your Kitchen With Us!

partysugar — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 11:45:20 -0800

OK readers, as you know, I recently moved and am in the process of setting up my kitchen. I've been getting your advice along the way, asking about dishwashers, kitchen islands, and drawer organization devices. It's time to take things one step further: now I want you to share your kitchens with me!

Whether you've got an amazing spice rack, an adorable way to display cookbooks, or an awesome marble counter, snap a photo. Then upload it to the Savory Sights group in the YumSugar Community. I'll be featuring the most inspiring kitchens here on YumSugar, so start sharing now!

Be sure to read this participation tutorial to learn more about uploading photos. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to contact us because we'd love to see you join the YumSugar Community.