spice rack

For friends and family who love food but claim to be too busy to cook, give them the best gift they can receive: more time.

With a new bevy of tools, your loved ones can save both time and effort in the kitchen. This salad shooter means no more chopping; an electric vegetable peeler gives them more time to hang out (with you!). And they can use this handheld cream whipper to turn heavy cream into ethereal whip with the mere touch of a button.

Want more gift ideas? Browse the selection below or check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Good-looking, counter space-saving spice racks are hard to find. So, why not hang your spices on the wall? My Aim Is True has a great DIY that'll help you both to see and store your spices out in the open. You'll no longer have three half-empty containers of cinnamon hiding in the back of your cabinet, or four different brands and shapes of spice jars sitting uncoordinated in your cabinet. To learn the how to make this spice rack, read more

Today's Su Casa comes from a gallery that Arielrb38 posted showing off her fourth-floor walk-up in Washington, DC. (Want to share your photos? Here's how to post in the Su Casa group.) She makes great use of a small space with the spice rack and hanging fruit baskets, and the plants and the colorful poster really add life to the nook.

Boing!!!
In case you were wondering, that's the sound of a spring. Today, March 21, is the first day of spring and although I love spring, one of the things I don't enjoy 100% is spring cleaning. But the joy of opening up the windows and letting the light in is accompanied by the observation of all those grimy spots that you just never noticed when it was dark and dim during winter. So, do yourself a favor and wipe down the walls, dust off the shelves, wipe down the blinds, clean the oven and the fridge and all those other big-time chores that you've been putting off. Although I dislike spring cleaning (oh who am I kidding, I pretty much hate cleaning whether its spring, summer, or fall), one of the things that I always do (always=once before, but I'm hoping it becomes a tradition) is clean out my spice rack.

To check out my tips for clearing out your spice rack, and yes, old spices need to be cleared on out, read more

The other day reader Marni dropped a line asking whether or not her mostly unopened spice rack she received four years ago was still good. I started to respond to her, when I realized that she's probably not the only one wondering how long spices last.

First of all, spices don't necessarily "go bad." Those spices you've got stored in the back of the cabinet won't harm you, however, they do lose their potency and flavor. As a general rule, most ground herbs and spices will retain their flavor for about a year and three years for whole spices (whole nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, etc). However you'll find the best potency in the first three to four months. If sealed and unopened, ground spices may last two years. A good trick is to write the date of your purchase on the spices and toss them out a year after opening and two if unopened.

Another important factor in a spice's life is storage. Spices need to be stored in a cool, dark place away from heat and moisture. The spices you've got in the fancy glass jars on the kitchen counter (you know, the ones that get all that sunlight) are going to have an even shorter lifespan. The heat and light will suck the flavor out faster than you realize. The refrigerator is also not a great place for storage as the humidity can harm the spices as well.

And although most spices won't hurt you when they're old, seeds such as sesame and poppy can go rancid, so if you're unsure of them, toss them out!