spice-grndng-msg – 8/12/12
Grinding spices in period and now.
NOTE: See also the files: spices-msg, spice-mixes-msg, spice-storage-msg, merch-spices-msg, herbs-msg, herb-mixes-msg, esential-oils-msg, F-It-spce-mixs-art.
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NOTICE -
This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday.
This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter.
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Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous
Stefan at florilegium.org
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 18:28:35 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - The siege cook challenge.
S. Noss wrote:
> When you honored folks grind spices for all kinds of things and for
> mustard as below - what are you using to grind with? The old mortar and
> pestle or food processor?
>
> Shirley
A mortar and pestle is easier than it sounds, once you get used to it.
Failing that, go out and spend $20 (about what you'd probably pay for a
decent mortar and pestle, anyway) on two (2) electric coffee grinders.
Label one "Coffee". Label the other "Spices". Learn to clean them well.
They will be your friends. Those who don't drink coffee might need only
one.
Adamantius
Date: Wed, 30 Jul 1997 23:15:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: Uduido at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - The siege cook challenge.
<< to grind with? The old mortar and pestle or food processor? >>
I use a mortar and pestle for small amounts (e.g. less than 1/4 cp). For
larger amounts I use a coffee grinder (translate>spice grinder). For messy
things in large amounts I use the food processor or blender.
For small amounts, I would recommend the mortar and pestle as the flavor and
texture have a pronounced difference in flavor to a trained palate than the
other methods used.
Lord Ras
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 11:19:34 EDT
From: LrdRas at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Spice/Herb Grinders (was Rosemary Usage)
THLRenata at aol.com writes:
<< Please tell me about spice grinders, as it looks like I'n going to need one.
(I just got a shipment of Grains of Paradise and Cubebs!) What kinds do you
listfolk recommend? How does one clean them between herbs?
Renata >>
I use a coffee grinder for my herbs and spices when I don't think my mortar
and pestle will be sufficient. The grinders are available at any department
store and are rather inexpensive. I think mine was around 10 dollars. I only
use it for spices and herbs.
Since you will never be putting liquid ingredients in it or grinding anything
that is not in a dried state cleaning is really unnecessary beyond normal
maintenance. A simple swipe with a paper towel is all that is really
necessary.
Ras
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 08:15:17 -0700
From: "Anne-Marie Rousseau" <acrouss at gte.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Spice/Herb Grinders (was Rosemary Usage)
Hi all from Anne-Marie
we are asked about spice grinders.
I use (as does Tony of WorldSpice) a Braun coffee mill that has never seen
coffee in its life. I use this for small batches of almonds for almond milk
too. I use a large natural bristle pastry brush to clean it by brushing out
the moving bits, etc VERY thoroughly immediately after use. Occasionally
I'll wash the lid with soapy water (like when I grinded chocolate in it
and it all melted, rats!)
The little braun mills have a good strong motor, and they're cheap enough
that when you finally kill it (mines been going strong for about five years
now, but Tony goes through one every couple months) you don’t feel bad.
For nutmeg and cone sugar, I have a small cheese grater. For pepper, I have
a dedicated pepper mill (got a lovely german wood one from Tony), and for
grains I have a dedicated pepper mill (a cheap small plastic one, not from
Tony!). I also have a marble mortar and pestle, but hardly use that
anymore.
For smaller amounts of fresh herbs (or at a re-enactment event), I use a
very sharp knife and elbow grease. For large batches, I use my Cuisinart.
- --AM
Madrone/ An Tir
Seattle/WA
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 14:40:45 EDT
From: DianaFiona at aol.com
Subject: Re: SC - Spice/Herb Grinders (was Rosemary Usage)
LrdRas at aol.com writes:
<< Since you will never be putting liquid ingredients in it or grinding anything
that is not in a dried state cleaning is really unnecessary beyond normal
maintenance. A simple swipe with a paper towel is all that is really
necessary.
Ras >>
Ha! Tell that to my grinder when I try grinding a sweet spice after all the
cumin I'm constantly using! ;-) I've occasionally resorted to very carefully
washing and rinsing the bowl, wiping dry, then letting it air out well before
using again.
Ldy Diana
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 16:56:52 -0400
From: "Margo Hablutzel" <Margo.Hablutzel.margolh at nt.com>
Subject: SC - Reducing feast fees and cleaning spice grinders
For the latter, I was taught to run a bit of bread through to clear out the
bits of spice, or coffee, as bread is usually cheaper and more expendable
(and you get some interesting-flavoured crumbs for breading, cakes, etc.).
- ---= Morgan
Morgan Cely Cain * Steppes, Ansteorra
(although temporarily in Atlantia)
Date: Fri, 09 Oct 1998 23:21:36 -0400
From: Phil & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Reducing feast fees and cleaning spice grinders
Margo Hablutzel wrote:
> For the latter, I was taught to run a bit of bread through to clear out the
> bits of spice, or coffee, as bread is usually cheaper and more expendable
> (and you get some interesting-flavoured crumbs for breading, cakes, etc.).
This little bit of wisdom is, I recall, the _very first_ thing mentioned by le
Menagier de Paris in his section on cookery.
Adamantius
Østgardr, East
Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 14:54:50 -0400
From: renfrow at skylands.net (Cindy Renfrow)
Subject: Re: SC - Reducing feast fees and cleaning spice grinders
Adamantius sez:
>This little bit of wisdom is, I recall, the _very first_ thing mentioned
> by le Menagier de Paris in his section on cookery.
"Primo, in all sausages and thick pottages, wherein spices and bread be
brayed, you should first bray the spices and take them out of the mortar,
because the bread which you bray afterwards requires that which remaineth
from the spices; thus naught is lost that would be lost if 'twere done
otherwise."
Power, The Goodman of Paris, p. 223.
Cindy/Sincgiefu
renfrow at skylands.net
Date: Sat, 06 Feb 1999 21:17:07 -0800
From: Anne-Marie Rousseau <acrouss at gte.net>
Subject: Re: SC - spice grinder
At 06:54 PM 2/6/99 -0500, Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
>I've decided that I need a new spice grinder - a better spice grinder. The
>one I'm using now is, in fact a coffee grinder and it doesn't grind my spices
>fine enough. Can anyone suggest where I can get a good spice grinder?
>
>Phillipa
Hi all from Anne-Marie
I use a Braun "coffee mill" with great results. It comes highly
recommended...that's what Tony Hill uses at Worldspice (except for the
large batches of curry, etc, then he uses a bigger commercial one). If you
dont overload it, and use a pulsing motion, I find it grinds as fine as
storebought.
- --AM
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 15:13:55 EDT
From: Seton1355 at aol.com
Subject: SC - Spice grinders
For years I have been looking for a way to remove the spice smell left in my
grinder after I grind spices. I just got this info from a curry list that
I'm on. It seems like a good idea so I;m passing it on.
Phillipa
<< Grinding a handful of salt afterwards will remove all the oils,
rendering the grinder usable for other purposes. >>
Date: Wed, 01 Sep 1999 22:35:01 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Spice grinders
Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
> For years I have been looking for a way to remove the spice smell left in my
> grinder after I grind spices. I just got this info from a curry list that
> I'm on. It seems like a good idea so I;m passing it on.
> Phillipa
>
> << Grinding a handful of salt afterwards will remove all the oils,
> rendering the grinder usable for other purposes. >>
It should work, but I'd be concerned about dulling the blades of my
grinder with salt. You might try a couple of crackers. Le Menagier
recommends bread be ground _after_ the spices when you're using bread to
thicken a sauce or something, because the bread ground in the mortar
will absorb the spices and eliminate waste.
Adamantius
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 10:27:33 -0400
From: Philip & Susan Troy <troy at asan.com>
Subject: Re: SC - Spice grinders
Seton1355 at aol.com wrote:
> Thank you Master! That sounds like a good idea too! But will table salt
> from the cheap box of salt (nothing fancy) dull the blads any faster than
> hard, crusty bread?
> Phillipa
Probably not. High-gluten breads, dry or otherwise, aren't known for
kindness to edges, which is why serrated bread knives are used. This why
I suggested a cracker or two. On the other hand, salt probably wouldn't
harm the grinder unless you used it frequently.
I'm assuming a grinder like an electric coffee grinder. Mills, such as a
pepper mill, would work differently; salt would probably be better in
that case.
Adamantius
Date: Thu, 02 Sep 1999 10:46:34 -0500
From: Helen <helen at directlink.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Spice grinders
I most often use a fresh white bread heel to clean my blades. You can grind
up fresh white bread for crumbs in your grinder for meat loaf etc. It does not
gum up or seem to dull the blades.
Helen
Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2000 09:55:34 -0600
From: "Michael F. Gunter" <michael.gunter at fnc.fujitsu.com>
Subject: non-member submission - Re: SC - Crown Touney/Queen's Tea
>>> Jenne Heise<jenne at mail.browser.net> 11/7/00 10:13:02 AM >>>
<<<<<I've been having trouble grinding true cinnamon in a mortar &
pestle. Is there any special trick to it?--
Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise>>>>>>
I find that it just takes a long time and much effort for the fibrous
herbs/spices. Others may have a trick. The rougher the mortar, the easier to grind. My smoothish marble one has problems with whole cinnamon that my coffee
mill doesn't have (that is a hand cranked jobber).
niccolo difrancesco
Date: Sun, 13 Oct 2002 19:31:53 -0400
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
From: "Phil Troy/ G. Tacitus Adamantius" <adamantius.magister at verizon.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] QUESTION ABOUT MACE
Also sprach Heleen Greenwald:
>I made a Regency recipe for Shabbat, last. It was chicken
>friccase. It called for mace, which I had. As I'm sure y'all know,
>the mace was in (almost) little sheets, not being ground mace. I
>tried to crumble it up as best I could but aparently I didn't do
>such a good job because some of the mouthfulls of friccase tasted
>VERY stongly of mace.
>
>How do people on list crumble up their mace? Do you grind it? grate
>it or what?
>
>Phillipa
Grinding in a spice grinder or mortar seems to work, but the period
solution seems to be simply to eat around the whole blades (like the
bay leaf in the stew), or remove them before serving, possibly using
a little cloth bag to assist...
Adamantius
From: jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 00:33:33 -0400 (EDT)
To: "List, SCA-COOKS" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] QUESTION ABOUT MACE
> How do people on list crumble up their mace? Do you grind it? grate it or
> what?
If I have to, I break it up and then grind it in a mortar & pestle or an
electric grinder. But mostly I cheat-- I keep blade mace and powdered mace
both around the house.
-- Jadwiga, who has run out of space in the spice cupboard in the kitchen,
the herb cupboard in the dining room, and also in the linen cupboard where
everything else goes-- and still isn't completely unpacked...
-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 12:49:30 -0400 (EDT)
From: <jenne at fiedlerfamily.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] coffee mills, was: galangale
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
> Speaking of using coffee mills for grinding spices, how do ya'll
> effectively clean your coffee/spice mills? Obviously, I can't really
> put mine in the dishwasher. It has so many hard to reach places around
> and under the blades that I never feel it's effectively clean. Not that
> it's a germ hazard, but I really don't want my cinnamon to taste like
> cumin and vice versa.
I run toast pieces through mine, though I hear that rice will also work
well and might be good for stubborn stuck on stuff.
[Le Menagier's Household Hints strikes again... "First, when you grind
spices and bread for any sauces or soups, you must grind the spices first
and remove them from the mortar, for as you grind the bread it will gather
up any spices remaining; thus you do not lose any speck which would be
lost otherwise."]
-- Pani Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 14:03:38 -0400 (EDT)
From: <jenne at fiedlerfamily.net>
Subject: RE: [Sca-cooks] coffee mills, was: galangale
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
>> I run toast pieces through mine, though I hear that rice will also work
>> well and might be good for stubborn stuck on stuff.
> Do you mean dry rice, or cooked rice? (I'm guessing dry?)
>
> -Irmgart
Yes, uncooked rice.
Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2003 11:37:28 -0700
From: lilinah at earthlink.net
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] coffee mills, was: galangale
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> Speaking of using coffee mills for grinding spices, how do ya'll
> effectively clean your coffee/spice mills? Obviously, I can't really
> put mine in the dishwasher. It has so many hard to reach places around
> and under the blades that I never feel it's effectively clean. Not that
> it's a germ hazard, but I really don't want my cinnamon to taste like
> cumin and vice versa.
>
> -Magdalena vander Brugghe
Many spices are oily and cling to the inside of the grinder. Just
brushing doesn't get them out well enough, in my opinion.
First i put a bunch of white granulated sugar in and give it a whirl.
The sugar picks up particles of spices left behind.
Then i brush out any sugar residue. Then i wipe with a paper towel.
Anahita
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 07:22:32 EDT
From: DeeWolff at aol.com
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] coffee mills, was: galangale
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> Speaking of using coffee mills for grinding spices, how do ya'll
> effectively clean your coffee/spice mills?
I wipe it out with bread and then with a vinegared cloth. Let air dry.
Andrea
Date: Thu, 11 Sep 2003 16:06:41 +0000
From: "Olwen the Odd" <olwentheodd at hotmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] OT: Kitchen appliances and gadgets
To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> I am getting married next year and am getting ready to do the bridal
> registry thing.
>
> I am wondering what tools and toys people like the best in their kitchen
> and why. Have you tried a particular tool only to prefer a different
> brand.
>
> Marina
I have 4 different types of morter/pestle sets for different types of
hand-work. I aso have over half a dozen small coffee/spice grinders each
reserved for differnt types of things. One for coffee only, one for
cinnamon sticks/bark and galengale (it has a tall stack on top to feed into
and a front removing cansiter), one for savory seds, one for spicier seeds
(cubebs, peppers, etc.), one for seeds and nuts, etc. Several has it's own
type distinction which makes it more practical for differnt things. I am
quite fond of the one that has the motor on the top part and the clear
caniser is the bottom, unattached to the cord, easy to clean and portable!
OK, maybe I'm obsessive...
Olwen O
Date: Sun, 21 Sep 2003 21:48:15 -0600
From: Sue Clemenger <mooncat at in-tch.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] coffee mills, was: galangale
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Grinding a bit of (white) sugar in mine seems to help....
--maire, going back through old emails....
Heleen Greenwald wrote:
> We have a coffee grinder and a spice grinder. I use my spice grinder
> mainly for Indian cooking. I clean the grinder each time with a dry
> brush and then I leave the lid off for a few hours to air out. But it
> always still smells vaguely like Indian food. In the past, I've
> ground a bit of dry rice in the container after using it (and before
> cleaning it, but I don;t think it works 100%. Any more suggestions to
> nutralize the smell?
> Phillipa
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Avraham haRofeh of Sudentur
> NONONO! You do NOT want to use one grinder for both, even minimally!
> You *WILL* cross-contaminate your flavors, no matter how well you clean
> it.
Date: Sun, 27 Feb 2005 23:51:55 -0800 (PST)
From: Chris Stanifer <jugglethis at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: rosewater
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
> and since it isn't easy to get all the scent out of
> a dedicated spice grinder for the next spice- pick
> up several pepper grinders at thrift stores and yard
> sales for storing granular spices
Grinding up a batch of rice or oats in your grinder between spices will help to get rid of the previous scent, as well. Of the two, rice is better.
William de Grandfort
Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2005 10:38:31 -0500
From: Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise <jenne at fiedlerfamily.net>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Re: rosewater
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
>>> and since it isn't easy to get all the scent out of
>>> a dedicated spice grinder for the next spice- pick
>>> up several pepper grinders at thrift stores and yard
>>> sales for storing granular spices
>
> Grinding up a batch of rice or oats in your grinder between spices
> will help to get rid of the
> previous scent, as well. Of the two, rice is better.
Le Menagier suggests breadcrumbs to get spices out of the mortar, and
I've found it works well.
However, I now have a Kitchenaid spice/coffee grinder whose grinding
chamber comes off the base and can be washed. This is a very good thing,
even though using it for high authenticity activity would be bad. :)
--
- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, Knowledge Pika jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
Date: Wed, 8 Dec 2010 14:46:50 -0500
From: Saint Phlip <phlip at 99main.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] OOP: coffee grinders
On Wed, Dec 8, 2010 at 12:14 PM, Sandra Kisner <sjk3 at cornell.edu> wrote:
<<< I'm not a coffee drinker, so I know nothing about coffee grinders. Every now
and then, though, I think having one would be a nice alternative to a mortar
and pestle. Is anyone familiar with the Proctor Silex 75W Fresh Grind
coffee grinder? (Or have some other make/model to recommend)?
Sandra >>>
I had several, at one point one for green herbs, one for spices, and
one for coffee. I just got very basic cheapies rather like this one -
http://www.amazon.com/Proctor-Silex-E160B-Coffee-Grinder/dp/B00006IUX5
although I don't remember the brands.
They're quick, they're cheap, and they're easy to clean for powdering
or otherwise minimizing a lot of different materials. However, if you
have one you use for coffee, don't use it for anything else, because
while you can easily get them reasonably clean, it's almost impossible
to get them spotless. While cinnamon tastes good in coffee, coffee
doesn't always taste good in cinnamon.
And, pulse them, rather than try to run them hard for a while.
Otherwise, they'll tend to heat up your spices, which is often not a
good thing.
--
Saint Phlip
Date: Thu, 9 Dec 2010 16:22:17 -0600 (CST)
From: "Pixel, Goddess and Queen" <pixel at hundred-acre-wood.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] OOP: coffee grinders
On Thu, 9 Dec 2010, freyja wrote:
<<< You can "clean" your spice grinder further after wiping out by running
it with white rice to pick up more of the oils. Still, don't put
anything in your one dedicated for coffee beans!!
-Kitta >>>
This is why I have three (two Brauns and one that...um...is another
brand), labeled "mustard", "spices", and the one for coffee isn't labeled.
Because although I don't drink coffee, houseguests, do, and I am told that
mustard-flavored coffee is particularly nasty.
Braun makes a perfectly reasonable grinder. My one complaint is that if
you grind a lot of hard seeds the inside of the plastic top gets
"frosted".
Margaret FitzWilliam
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 14:08:02 -0500
From: Johnna Holloway <johnnae at mac.com>
To: lilinah at earthlink.net, Cooks within the SCA
<sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] ground powder sugar
I use bread or raw rice in my dedicated spice grinder.
Spice Grinder Cleaning? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/381909
http://www.thekitchn.com/try-this-clean-160549
There's a warning here not to grind cloves or allspice in a grinder
with plastic parts.
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/85/Krups-Spice-Grinder
Johnnae
On Jan 26, 2012, at 1:15 PM, lilinah at earthlink.net wrote:
<<< I long ago read or heard somewhere that running granulated sugar
through blenders and electric grinders was good for cleaning them
and removing unwanted mystery flavors. Naturally one cleans the item
well before hand, but "stuff" can lurk in places hard to reach. >>>
Date: Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:35:20 -0600 (CST)
From: "Pixel, Goddess and Queen" <pixel at hundred-acre-wood.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] ground powder sugar
On Thu, 26 Jan 2012, Johnna Holloway wrote:
<<< I use bread or raw rice in my dedicated spice grinder.
Spice Grinder Cleaning? http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/381909
http://www.thekitchn.com/try-this-clean-160549
There's a warning here not to grind cloves or allspice in a grinder with
plastic parts.
http://www.cookingforengineers.com/article/85/Krups-Spice-Grinder >>>
I can corroborate that--my dedicated spice grinder (as opposed to my
dedicated mustard grinder) has a clouded lid due to cloves. If you grind
dry rice in it a couple of times it helps remove a bit of the clove oil so
that other spices don't end up with an air of cloves about them, but it is
permanently clouded.
In my defense I didn't know that cloves would do that, otherwise I would
have ground them in the stone mortar.
Margaret
<the end>