Chef Lynn's Cooking Diary

Storage life of dry herbs and spices under optimal conditions is 4-6 months.  You should add a little more quantity of the older herbs and spices to account for the flavor loss.

To store dry whole herbs tie in loose bunches and hang upside down in a cook, dry, dark place. Herbs with seeds may be dried hanging inside a loosely tied brown paper bag to capture the seeds.

Refrigerating fresh herbs may be kept in the refrigerator in tightly sealed jars or zipper bags for up to two weeks. Hot spices such as peppers, curries and chili powder may be kept refrigerated up to six months or more to retain their flavor.

Chef Lynn Ware is a private/personal chef, culinary educator, and food blogger. Chef Lynn offers: Corporate Cooking Classes, Group Cooking Parties, Private Cooking Lessons and Gourmet Catering. Contact Chef Lynn (ChefLynn@ChefLynn.com) for additional information.