Buying Spices

Jolteh

Jolteh

Jolteh

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Joined
21 Nov 2002
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1,586
We seem to go through spices quite quickly, so I've been looking at buying them online rather than in the form of those little Swartz jars in the supermarket.

Does anyone have any online store that they particularly prefer?

Are there any particular brands or types of any spice that I should be looking out for over another? I know, for example, that there are many different brands and grades of paprika - is the difference noticeable?

Thanks!
 
Have you checked you local city / town centre? On our market we have a Spice stall, the bloke who runs it makes monthly trips to India to restock.

Cheaper than anywhere else, and quite literally 10x better flavours. I buy smaller amounts (just enough to fill my spice jars, so ~ 50g), but more often to keep freshness high (I pop into the city regularly anyway).

Sorry that doesn't help your question, but maybe something to consider :)
 
My big ASDA and Tesco have some spices in their World Food section (where the big drums of oil live, and the other weird foreign food). They are a lot cheaper than the glass jars you get in their spice section. Worth checking out until you can source a cheap online supplier. The brand is called 'East End Food'.

Also interested if you find a decent supplier though.
 
Also if you have any Indian shops nearby you can pick them up very cheap, I can pick up 500g bags from the one across the road for the same price a small jar from Asda costs.
 
Sainsburys have started doing a 'world foods' section like Tesco do. They have chilli and a number of other spices in 500g bags. They are cheeky though, the big bags of chilli flakes are cheaper than the little Schwartz pots.

So don't do what Yogurt says. Don't use the Schwartz...

 
tom_e said:
Also if you have any Indian shops nearby you can pick them up very cheap, I can pick up 500g bags from the one across the road for the same price a small jar from Asda costs.
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Jonny69 said:
Sainsburys have started doing a 'world foods' section like Tesco do. They have chilli and a number of other spices in 500g bags. They are cheeky though, the big bags of chilli flakes are cheaper than the little Schwartz pots.

So don't do what Yogurt says. Don't use the Schwartz...
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both of the above,
i live 5min drive from an Indian shop, and can buy bags of spices from 50p upwards, so i am a regular there ;)
its also the same for veg. etc... i can buy a green pepper for about 25p and a handful of green chilles for about 15p
and my wife always buys our fruit there.
if you are not near one, then the world foods section of a supermarket.
i refuse to pay £1.50 for a tiny pot of spice, its a rip off
 
Justin said:
The one to be careful of is Saffron, buy grade 1 stuff if you can.
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never use the stuff toooo expensive ;)

Fusion said:
Not always: Compare Schwarz's Garam Masala with Tesco's, there are a lot more ingredients in Schwarz's, and in different quantities.

For single spices, the two may be very similar.
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different brands use different ingrediants, this is also the same for curry powder or any mixed spices.
to me its what tastes nicest for the dish.
 
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