Pocketful of Memory Cards

When I decided to re-organize my spices, I discovered I had already started without knowing it.  My marash pepper and my star anise were in 125 ml mason jars and I found the wide openings quite handy.  When the idea to paint the lids with blackboard paint turned up on Pinterest , I knew I'd found the perfect plan. I added the link to my board titled "Things I'd love to make but probably won't".  Looks like I was wrong! The first step was to head to our local Michael's store which I did with a bit of trepidation.  One person had told me they spent $24 on a small container of blackboard paint and I was trying to keep the cost down.  The only blackboard paint they had was spray paint, which seemed like a great way to paint my lids and it cost a mere $12.99.  I had eight jars left from the peach marmalade I made last year but I needed a couple of dozen all together.  I headed to Superstore for more but discovered that mason jars are a seasonal ...

Over the past 30 or so years of cooking for myself, I've collected quite a mess of spices and spice jars.  Today I picked up some dill and paprika from Abby's Spice and Tea Store and when I got home I was frustrated by how difficult it was to find the jar I was looking for.  Quite frankly, I was embarrassed by the sloppy collection I've amassed.  It's a shameful way for a Virgo to behave.   Of course this is tongue in cheek, but I am in home organization mode these days, so it's the perfect time to do some culling, while trying to come up with a thrifty and creative way to make my spices accessible and fresh.  Thanks to Pinterest I have a few different ideas bobbing around in my brain.  Think of these as the before shots and I'll look forward to sharing my results with you.

Any Chef worth his  or her salt will tell you the best way to make a good meal is to start with the best ingredients.  If you're going to take the time to hunt down fresh produce, and  purchase quality cuts of meat it would be a crying shame to add old herbs and spices to those favourite recipes.  Take heart!  If you live in the Okanagan, Abby's Spice & Tea Store has you covered. If you haven't visited Abby in the Stewart Centre on Kirschner, you don't know what you're missing!  She's brought in herbs and spices from the four corners of the globe:  smoky Paprika from Spain, Cloves from Madagascar, Allspice from Jamaica and Star Anise from China to name just a few.  And it's all so fresh!  The Marash pepper I buy from her is so moist with essential chili oils, I have to make sure I put it right into a jar so it doesn't eat through the plastic bag she sends home with me. And her teas are just as fresh.  The Market S...

As many of you have discovered, I am not a shopper....but Monday is grocery day and since I do enjoy cooking (and eating), grocery shopping is a necessary evil.   After stops at Don-O-Ray, My Country Garden and Extra Foods - where I refused to pay $7.59 for 400 grams of Feta Cheese (when did Feta get so expensive??!!) I rewarded myself with a stop at Abby's Spice and Tea Store .  It's always a treat to visit with the knowledgeable and inspiring Abby to find out what new goodies she's added to her inventory.  In need of a good olive oil, I managed to snag a rich and peppery bottle of Canale 53 Extra Virgin Olive Oil after sampling three of the best choices for salads and other raw foods.  Abby also carries some amazing products from the Vinegar Works in Summerland.  At their Valentine Farm operation, they grow the grapes, make the wine and then turn it into several kinds of vinegar.  I tasted their Balsamico Rosso,  Blanco and also tr...

Today I googled " Chef at Home Spicy Chili " after watching Michael Smith prepare a fantastic dinner for his poker buddies (guess what we're having for dinner on the first cool day next week). After I made my list,  I headed to Abby's Spices and Tea Store to find some dried poblano peppers, and few other spices I was low on. Abby didn't have any poblanos but she tempted me with some ancho peppers that smelled amazing.... they should be a great substitute.  She also had some interesting hot sauces that I thought I'd share in this post.  Michael Smith says it's the adrenaline rush that draws people to the super hot sauces - I think that's too much adrenaline for me!

On a friend's recommendation I stopped by Abby's Spice and Tea Store this morning.  An hour and a half later I left laden with a new mortar and pestle, fresh cinnamons sticks, an excellent bottle of olive oil, a cup sized wire strainer and 60 grams of Market Spice Tea, which I am currently sipping.  A lot of restraint was involved in those few purchases.  I  think I might go back tomorrow though after I peruse my spice drawers, as well as for the Bodum French Press... at $15.99, I don't think I can resist.   Abby's is my new favourite store!