A well-stocked spice rack adds more than a little spice to the task of cooking daily meals, and it’s an invitation to culinary adventure. But what’s the best way to keep all those little bottles and jars in order, so you can put your hand on the very herb or spice that you need, quickly and easily, when you need it?
The Lazy Susan Option
I went through several different spice-storage systems before I finally settled on one that seems to work for me — a two-tiered “lazy susan” turntable
The empty shelf space in the corners around the round turntable is given over to related flavouring items that are larger than a standard spice bottle — my nutmeg grater, a good-sized bottle of pure vanilla extract, the salt box and pepper mill…
Cooking By ColourBecause I like to keep a lot of different herbs and spices on hand, it can be frustrating to have to rummage about to find the one you want.
For some reason I used to organize them by name, alphabetically — that must be the editor in me, spilling over from work to home realm! Anyway, it didn’t work particularly well…
Then, in the midst of a tidy-up binge over the holidays, I had the inspiration to sort out my spice collection by colour.
In the yellowish-brown range, for example, my ground ginger sits next to the dry mustard, which is next to the garlic powder.
It looks odd, perhaps, but I’ve found this a really intuitive way to work. One spin of the “lazy susan” turntable brings the correct colour family around to face front, and then it’s quick and easy to see and grab the particular bottle I want.
I think the main reason why this whole “lazy susan” organizing system works for me is that this big ol’ farmhouse kitchen is blessed with lots of cupboards, so it’s not a problem to dedicate a convenient shelf (above-counter, close to the main work station) to my spices and such.
But what about a more compact spice-organizing solution, for those with a small kitchen or limited cupboard space?
Small Kitchen Spice Organization
The Rubber Grip Spice Drawer Organizer would be a good choice for anyone with an empty drawer to fill. It has three compartments, lined with rubberized material to keep your jars and bottles from banging around when you open and close the drawer, and the jars are displayed on an angle to make it easier to see the spice you want to grab.
But maybe you’re like me, and have no kitchen drawer space to spare?
Spice Clips are simple 9-inch plastic clips to keep your spice bottles organized without taking up valuable counter or cupboard space. A set of 6 clips will hold a total of 24 spice bottles, which is a pretty good number for most of us. Mount them on a wall or, better yet, on the inside of a cabinet door.
Cool Spice Storage
Do you recall the trendy spice rack of a few years ago? It was a horizontal display unit intended to be wall-mounted between the stove top and the range hood — you know, in that bare spot on the back wall that really begs for something pretty to jazz it up. Oh, sure, that rack was very decorative, but clearly it was not designed by a keen foodie!
Spices by the stove? Bad idea.
Besides the risk of stretching over a hot stove for the bottle of dried basil (we who are “not tall” are always thinking of these things!), there’s food quality to be considered. It’s always best to store your herbs and spices in a dark cool place, to keep the flavour at its subtle best.
So, a rack that’s out of sight in a drawer or cupboard is the cook’s best choice. If you want to use herbs and spices as part of your kitchen decor, that’s great — and we’ll talk another time about some of the ways you can do that, even in a small kitchen where every inch of counter-top space is precious. For cooking purposes, however, do hide those herbs away!
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