I was very good Terri...I didn't go to Penzeys Sunday or today when I was relatively close.

That store is almost cook's crack to me. btw, I love Northwoods Fire. Hope you do too. Maureen

I just got my order Friday...speaking of enablers. Half my order went to my DD at school...19 and already a spice snob! Those little "try me's" are just perfect.

See you got the new Smokey. Let us know how you like it. I passed that up this time for the new Tuscan Sunset. Can't wait to try it.

Kathie

My sister introduced me to Penzey's. I love it. I am now get Penzey's One, their magazine, and am loving that too!

Kathie..it was really a toss up..I love the Smoked Paprika..infact that's what led me to Penzey's..This is my second 4oz bag from them..I make a mean rub with it..It's our favorite rub for everything!
I use the Galena Street Rub as a quick seasoning not a rub. LOL
I did put a bit of the Smoked 4S in to dinner tonight, but I added some cumin, Chicken Taco Seasoning(my freebie~and I'll be ordering more!) Toasted Onion, Smoked Paprika and a smidge of Cayenne. So not sure just how much I can tell how good it is. LOL

Oh Terri, that sounds so good. I almost ordered the Chicken Taco Seasoning. It and the Smoked 4s are on the list for next time.

Kathie, I make a list and edit it a dozen times! LOL
I realized I forgot a few things when I was refilling jars and putting things away!!!! Durn it!

I hear you, Terri... the Canny Campers enabled me and turned me into a cinnamon snob, lol. I started with the little try-me jars, too. Ya gotta have jars, dontcha? Now it's the 4 oz. bags. Love the smoked paprika, Northwoods, Roasted Schezwan Pepper Salt. And the shallot salt. I got some Balti Seasoning last time...haven't tried it yet, though.

The enablers got me too. I got a try me size of Arrowroot this time - now I'll need to figure out when to use it.

I notice you bought two of the Cinnamons - the Chinese Cassia and the Korintje Cassia? How do you decide which one to use for a recipe?

I bought the Chinese Cassia and Ceylon true cinnamon this time, but I never know which one to use. I usually just fall back to the stronger Cassia.

What is that 4S? I do think I may go this Sunday...but I do have to have a good look at what I have and what I need as opposed to what I want. ;-)

I have converted a lot of my other spices to that small size jar since I can also buy minute quantities of some things at the health food store. I used to work for the supplier to this store so I know they have a good turnover.

I too would like to know how people use the various cinnamons. As pretty much of a non-baker, most of my cinnamon use is for oatmeal. Maureen

I just got my fix...er...order in the mail yesterday! Whoo-hoo! Sadly, they don't have one in Orlando and the nearest one is in Jacksonville. I needed spices and didn't have time to drive up there.

Hey, did you know that when you order from Penzeys, they send you FREE stuff??? They included a small size container of Chicken Taco Seasoning in my shipment. Last time, they sent me a small Barbeque of the Americas seasoning. Free!

LOVE that place!!!

Try cinnamon over plain yogurt with a drizzle of honey. A pinch on the coffee grounds sometimes.

I have to mail order. They are good about getting my order to me asap. Save small jars so you have something to put the bag spices in. Been putting my cumin seed in the blender with tomatoes to "chop" it up.... along with some whole peppercorns before pouring it in the chili pot. Still has to cook for a day to get the flavor out but it sure makes the house smell wonderful.

: )
lyra

I went there last weekend to pick up ground chipotle, and ended up also buying the new rojo taco sauce that they used on the pork roast on the current catalogue cover. Anyone try it yet? I should have feedback by Sunday night at the latest.

I am in the process of making my list for holiday/winter baking. This will be at least my sixth mail order from Penzey's. I really love getting the box, it always smells so good when you open it. Penzey's is another place that is too many states away from me! Thank goodness for mail order. I have never been disappointed.
Kat

Cloud, I don't know..I use the Korjenti, it's my go to cinnamon, only because I became familar with it years ago through Pampered Chef. It's a billzion times more fragrant and flavorful than anything at the stores! So I knew when I was getting cinnamon from Penzey's that that would be my first choice, but I want to "try"/sniff, them all.
The catalog tells you the properties that stand out of each one, so I think I'll read that a bit more thoroughly to figure it out. I got the smaller Chinese Cassia, so that I could compare, but I opened it up and sniffed..and it smelled like cinnamon. LOL
So to answer your question..I don't know..LOL

Maureen, The 4S is their sea salt seasoning salt. It's something like Salt, seasoning, spice and ???(can't recall the 4th S.)..It's nice when you just want to dust something with a bit more flavor, but want the salt too. I have the regular one and then picked up the Smokey for my freebie.

Gardengrl, Yep..I think we must be on the same ordering cycle, those were my freebies the last two orders too..and the 2 times before that I got Chili powder in both. LOL
I will definately be ordering that Chicken Taco seasoning in a bag next time. I used it in a stew lastnight with pork cubes, potatoes and black beans...Yummmy...

Lyra/M, Hmmmm...I haven't yet ventured into whole spices, other than nutmeg. I really need to invest in a few of those Kuhn spice grinders. LOL Then I'd have a whole nother addiction! LOL

Fenworth, I didn't pick that up, but it does interest me, as does the Rasp. Enlightenment. Can't wait to hear your results.

Kat, This was my 4th order in a year! And like I said above, I missed a few things...So I'm sure before December, I'll be placing another order!

I have the Ceylon, Chinese Cassia and the Vietnamese Cassia Cinnamon, and I use the Vietnamese the most. It is one of the spices I use a lot for apple and pumpkin pies and the Ginger Bar cookies my daughter needs every Christmas, among other uses. I used the Ceylon once in an apple pie and was quickly told by the family that something wasn't right, not enough cinnamon! I do like the Ceylon more with other fruits.

My other most used is the Fox Point Seasoning and I think I have every color of the peppercorns. I just added both the green and white Cardamom pods to my order. I don't want to send it until I finish checking my stock at home. Trying to remember what I need while at work is not a good idea! I know I will forget something and also order something I don't need yet.
Kat

Penzey's is one of the places I have within 50 miles, and I love it but I've become complacent and only buy 5 or 6 things each trip, LOL.

I always get the vietnamese cinnamon, it's my favorite, and the 4S is a seasoned salt which Amanda loves. I like their four peppercorn blend and they are far cheaper on cardamom than any of the local groceries. Oh, and I got cumin there too, I seem to use a LOT of that lately...

Annie

I buy all the little sizes now. That way they get used up and I can go buy fresh. The only ones I buy in bulk are peppercorns and Italian herbs.

I love to open the spice cabinet and just look at all the possibilities! Here's level one of the cabinet with all the little jars on the double-decker lazy-susans (labels-out!):

{{gwi:1493294}}

It's beautiful Gina!

I had forgotten that I got Raspberry Enlightenment when I was at Camp Fai Do Do in February (May took us to Penzey's and the great Central Market in Houston). Has anyone used it?

Gina, that looks amazing! I'm jealous of your wonderful organzied set up!

GINA! I am so envious of your spice organization. I'm pretty fussy when it comes to home organization but I can't seem to keep a neat spice cabinet! I thought with my new kitchen and designated "spice cabinet" it would help but the larger storage has only compounded the problem.

{{!gwi}}

I thought about installing a 4th shelf but I know jars located that high would be lost and forgotten!

And all my cookie confections are banished to the Butler's Pantry!

{{!gwi}}

Michelle

Hey, do any of you ladies know what the shelf-life is for Penzey's spices?

For example, I go through some of their things pretty quickly, but others, like the Apple Pie Spice or Fox Point Seasoning I don't use too terribly often. How long should I keep them?

If the older spices don't smell really fragrant - pitch them out. They won't kill you, but your results may just be.....ehhh....

My mom and I have bought from Penzey's for years now. We order the larger bags and split them between us to fill up our little jars.

Mom tried the Raspberry Enlightenment some time back and while she said it was good, she said she probably wouldn't order it again. YMMV

I make roasted potatoes sprinkled with their Bouquet Garni and love the Pizza and Greek Seasoning. I want to try the 4S next time I order.

Rosewich, I use Fox Point on everything, vegetables, potatoes, steak. Love that stuff.

Jessica recommended Mural of Flavor, I liked that one, too, and I like the Northwoods seasoning.

Terri, Larry loved the korintje from Pampered Chef, he sprinkles it on cottage cheese and toast for breakfast. My go to Cinnamon is Penzey's Chinese or Vietnamese. heavenly stuff! I love cinnamon! I also like their shallot salt, and shallot pepper! I bought the szechuan peppercorns but never got around to using them.

So here I am on Spring Break from teaching, staying up late and DH has already gone to sleep, and I'm thinking to myself I'll just catch up on the forum news and stuff, and start at the very end...to read before they scroll off, y'know. Here I am on page 67 and I find this Penzey's thread.

I'm in trouble now.

Smiles,
Sooz

Well, speaking of Penzey's, sooz, I'll share a DUH! moment with you. A couple of years ago, I'd just begun to hear about the company and what great products they had. Then, out of the blue, a friend sent me a Penzey's gift box of the hot stuff she knew I loved -- Northwoods Fire and 3 other very spicy blends.

Well, one taste and I had to have more. Immediately! So I went to their website. There was this little pop-up box to help you find the store nearest you. Thinking the freight might be cheaper if ordered from Atlanta rather than Dallas, I entered my zip code. The answer I got was that the nearest Penzey's store was...1.2 miles away. LOL! It had opened 3 weeks before.

Omigosh, have I had fun since then! I think my very favorite discovery is the shrimp/crab boil. It is sooo fine!! Puts Zatarain's and all those others (including my favorite from "Joy") in the shade.

sm

I'm a Penzey's addict. I can't decide if my favorite is the Double Vanilla or the Shallot Pepper. I'm going to try and get there tomorrow but it will be hard to use restraint after reading some new suggestions!!

I use the Northwoods Fire in hubbies scrambled eggs on the weekend..he loves it!

Just went to Penzye's for the second time.....45 miles...love this place! It's fun hearing all the spices everyone on this foum is using. I went the first time to get cinnamon, will never use that plain old cinnamon in the round cardboard things again. I'm hooked :)

Used the Fox Point on fried eggs last night, they were great.

If we would of had some ham to go with, we'ed of had "Green Eggs and Ham".......made the eggs pretty.

Oh, sm, too funny!!!! Lucky you, having one so close --and it sure was a case of serendipity in how you found it!
Smiles,
Sooz

GG - The general rule of thumb is two years (one year for "red" spices) or when the scent is no longer strong/frangrant, whichever comes first. Also, it's usually a good idea to keep the red spices (which are usually your various peppers) in the fridge/freezer in an airtight (glass) jar.