ISO: (gasp!) McCormick Spices!!

[Jewel]

I can't believe I actually said that....***disclaimer: Believe me Penzey's, I still love you and try to use your spices exclusively, but just this one time I havta use someone else's spices, but don't kick me off your mailing list or spit in my next bag of Fox Point Seasoning, because I promise I'll throw this McCormick's stuff out as soon as I win this contest, OK? :o

Well it looks like I'm searching for something that apparantly does not exist!! :( I'm trying to enter my new chicken dish in Southern Living's 2002 CookOff. One of the ingredients I must use for this dish is the 'Seasoned Pepper Medley' from McCormick's 'Gourmet Collection'. I went to four stores in my area yesterday (Safeway, Albertsons, QFC (Kroger) and Market Place) and no one even stocked the 'Gourmet Collection' let alone the 'Seasoned Pepper Medley'! :( I can find the older 'Seasoned Pepper Blend' but that's not the same thing. To enter this contest it has to be from the Gourmet Collection.

Can anyone tell me if they've seen the McCormicks 'Gourmet Collection' at any of their local stores? If so, please tell me which one, maybe I can find it here! I emailed McCormick to ask where I could find it in my area, so hopefully I'll hear from them soon, but if I can't find this stuff I can't taste-test the recipe using these ingredients, and if I can't taste-test it then I can't enter it in the contest! :( Help!! This is the logo that should be on every 'Gourmet Collection' bottle so they're easier to spot than the standard white lettering on red label:

http://www.southernliving.com/events/cookoff/images/Logos_McCormick.gif

[Nancy171]

They showed up in my Safeway about a month ago -- you'd think that they would have rolled it out through the entire chain by now (especially since my store isn't exactly leading edge as it's pretty space-constrained).

[Jewel]

Originally posted by Nancy171
They showed up in my Safeway about a month ago

Thanks Nancy!! :) I checked the Safeway a block from my house, but it's a smaller one. The 'Super Safeway' is about 1-1/2 miles away, so I'll try there tonight after work and check! Maybe they have it since it's a newer and bigger store! Thanks so much!

[ebobbitt]

I'll check my Kroger and let you know.

[Jewel]

I just got a reply back from McCormick...no store within a 50 mile radius carries this spice! :( To top it off, the website shows it as Seasoned Pepper Medley, and THEY call it Pepper Medley Seasoning. Oh well! I had to place a phone order directly with McCormick to get the stuff. $5.99 for a 2oz bottle, and for 'testing' purposes I ordered two of them. Better to have too much! :D

$15 with shipping and it will take up to 3 weeks to get here! ACK! I'd better get that in quicker than that or I won't be able to test and refine this recipe before submitting it by the June 30 deadline! :eek: Thanks for the offer of help everyone!

[cherylopal]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Jewel
[B]I can't believe I actually said that....***disclaimer: Believe me Penzey's, I still love you and try to use your spices exclusively, but just this one time I havta use someone else's spices, but don't kick me off your mailing list or spit in my next bag of Fox Point Seasoning, because I promise I'll throw this McCormick's stuff out as soon as I win this contest, OK? :o

ooohhhh i have to jump in and say this but i love two of mccormick's spice blends. i love key west and spicy montreal seasoning. of course i feel in love with these before penzeys but i still enjoy them. please don't throw eggs-

cheryl

[Angela]

I'm a new Penzey's lover, but let me tell you...I live in Baltimore (home of McCormick's) and when you drive on the north end of town/by the plant...oh my goodness it's smells wonderful!. My tummy always starts to growl :)

[lovemybeetle]

Originally posted by Angela
I'm a new Penzey's lover, but let me tell you...I live in Baltimore (home of McCormick's) and when you drive on the north end of town/by the plant...oh my goodness it's smells wonderful!. My tummy always starts to growl :)

Wow...do they have a factory store or something like that? I'd love to visit. My husband and I went to the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory last year and I love to see the products you can't get in the stores.

[BlueMoose]

Maybe I'm just stupid, but what's wrong with McCormick?:confused: I'm probably showing my ignorance here.:o

[Angela]

Their headquarters and the factory is just outside of Baltimore in Hunt Valley, Maryland. I'm not sure if they offer tours, but that would be fun! I've never seen or heard of a factory store....I just checked the web site and they didn't mention a factory store or tours.
....all those spice aromas wafting through the air....

[Jewel]

Originally posted by BlueMoose
Maybe I'm just stupid, but what's wrong with McCormick?:confused: I'm probably showing my ignorance here.:o

It's just that most of us have become 'Spice Snobs' with Penzey's, so we might feel a little bad about buying the 'grocery store brand'! :D The only reason I'm using this stuff is for the Southern Living Cook-Off! ;)

Although while I was at the store scoping for this particular blend, I did see the Monterey Seasoning (red bell pepper and roasted garlic pieces) and it looked REALLY good! I didn't buy any because I can make my own blend with my Penzey's Dehydrated Red Bell Pepper and Penzey's Dehydrated Minced Garlic, but still.... ;)

[funnybone]

Jewel, when I was at the grocery store, I noticed they carried that line of McCormick's. I tried to find the one you mentioned, but couldn't remember the name. Now that I see it, I don't think it was there. However, most of the products were in the high $4 and $5 range, so they are probably selling it to you at retail.

As for the Monteray Style "Spice Blends", I picked it up last summer because I had a coupon for a free bottle. It's pretty good, but I really don't use it much. I find those blends to be salty. The jar says 80 mg per 1/4 tsp (I had to check - Morton's Kosher salt say 480 mg per 1/4 tsp), so I guess it's not all that much.

[JennieL]

Originally posted by lovemybeetle


Wow...do they have a factory store or something like that? I'd love to visit. My husband and I went to the Cape Cod Potato Chip factory last year and I love to see the products you can't get in the stores.

I toured through the McCorick Spice factory in Baltimore as a kid with my parents. I don't know if they still offer tours, but I remember it was a lot of fun and the smell is heavenly!

[AndreaM]

Jewel -
Just wondering if anyone ever located the Seasoned Pepper Medley you were looking for. I thought it sounded familiar when I first saw your message about it, as I think I may have used it before. Anyway, I checked at the grocery store while I was shopping after work, and they do have it here. Sounds like you have some on order, but if you need it sooner, or it doesn't arrive on time, I'd be happy to send some to you.

Good luck with the contest!

Andrea

[Jewel]

Thanks Andrea! At least I know it does exist in someone's grocery! :rolleyes: The lady at McCormick told me to expect it within 3 weeks :eek: but then said that was just an estimate. I think it's coming from Tennessee and I'm in Seattle, so it shouldn't take more than a week. My time frame is tight only because I want to be able to test this recipe and portion the ingredients out and get it submitted before the contest deadline, but that's not until June 30 so I'm OK....hopefully! ;)

Thanks for the offer though! I just hope this stuff is worth waiting for!

[Angela]

I looked this weekend at the grocery store and they didn't have any....and I'm in Baltimore where the stuff is made!!
Good luck to you Jewel!!

[401krep]

My best friend is an employee of McCormick's Spice Company in Hunt Valley. She used to work in the spice plant and I believe she can buy anything that you're looking for! They have "spice sales" where the employees can buy in bulk for cheap! Let me know what you're looking for and I can try to help you out!