greetings curry lovers.although i mentioned this before in the kitchen eqpt thread , i use a vacuum bag sealer as one of my methods of storing dried herbs and spices . i also use boxes like jethroes though i dont store products in them without if possible, their original packaging , ie packets . once the packets are opened , they are then re-sealed using the vacuum bag sealer .i also use the thermos hand pumped vacuum boxes . imo , the extraction of as much air as possible from ones containers and bags is paramount in preserving ones valued and costly spice and herb collection.

Greetings all !

Whilst reading threads on spice mixes/pastes etc,one invariably comes across the 'how best to store' unused blends and open packets of this spice or other.

I haven't come across it yet but have members considered using a small vacuum bag sealer ? I've used one for many years,mainly for vacuum sealing fresh vegetables,meats etc for freezing.

As regards to vegetables,I have found out,this is my personal opinion,that the veg does not necessarily need to be blanched beforehand.Blanching imo  puts more water into the product than is really necessary and as for preserving colour of greens,I found this did not affect the greens when the bags are vacuum sealed.

Coming onto opened packets,tins of spices and made up spice mixtures,vacuum sealing said spices in little plastic bags(which can be put back into the original containers to prevent light deterioration) does increasingly preserve their shelf life.

Vacuum sealing sauce mixes for freezing also maintains the body of the sauce etc far better than if it was just put into an 'air tight' container.

Was this of any use to anyone?

  regards Joe.

By the way, does anyone remember the old Vesta boil in a bag curries?
They seem a million years away now.

Yeah!Still buy em  :DI live in Malta and there are many things that one was once acquainted with in the UK that cannot be bought on a regular basis or at all in Malta.What one has noticed though is the decline of Vesta(pepper disguises all).Nostalgia makes one buy such quirky foods.

There are no Paki or Indian spice/corner shops.Even today trying to make CA's Madras curry I lacked methi leaves dry or fresh.There are no such thing as 'Indian' takeaways.Indian restaurants yes,but miles away from what is/was known as the BIR.

On a different note.May I ask foodies here wether they think or find there is a difference in grinding spice/s with an electronic gadget or by hand with a mortar and pestle?If so,which method do they prefer?
  regards and thanks Joe.