Spice Up Your Life

Yes, the post title for today could be a reference to the queens of pop; Posh, Sporty, Baby, Scary and Ginger.  But it isn't.  It is a reference to the beginning of the spice rack reckoning.

For a while I  have felt that my spice rack had become unmanageable. It consisted of a hanging basket in my pantry that bowed under the weight of the numerous bottles that filled it.  It was high up to deter little fingers, but the height meant looking at bottles from below while hunting for what you needed, or taking the whole thing down to search.  I just couldn't take it anymore!

I had a drawer that wasn't getting much play in my kitchen, filled with random crap like fish food for a series for dead fish and tea bags.  I pulled all that crap out and decided to cultivate it into an "herb garden".

I am THRILLED with the results (above).  The only thing left in the pantry is the larger stuff that won't fit (staples like cinnamon, chili powder, a giant container of ranch dressing powder), and I even have enough drawer depth for a second layer of stuff, but I am going to try to keep it from getting cluttered and just keep it maintained.

I loves spices and herbs, so I love that they are close at hand and easy to find now.  A good friends told me tonight that she made a bomb-ass dish for dinner and that dill held the secret to it's awesomeness.  Spices are magical,  a dash of parsley or a sprinkle of tarragon can change a whole culinary landscape and shape into a thing of beauty (and occasionally a horrifying mess), so don't be afraid to go a little spice-crazy.