Penzey's Spices

[Tiger]

I've been reading all the threads on Penzeys spices and just recieved my catalog. This BB is great I've never even knew you could buy spices like this.
So I'm getting ready to place my first order. What is your GOT TO HAVE, CAN'T LEAVE WITHOUT, REALLY ENJOY, spice from this catalog? Thanks for your help!

[Marsha]

Got to have the ancho chili powder, black peppercorns, cinnamon & ground chipotle pepper. Of course I always buy lots more than this (they've opened a store in Houston - hurray!) but these items are imperative for me. Happy shopping!

[carolyn.1]

Tiger-I just received my first order, and it is as wonderful as everyone on the board said. I too had never heard of it until I heard it mentioned here. I ordered garlic powder, parsley, ground cumin, and thyme. very happy and pleased with my order. I will do all my spice ordering from Penzey's.
Carolyn

[Tiger]

What is exactly meant by a rub? Is it just a spice mixture that is patted onto the meat before cooking?

[Tiger]

I just finished placing my order. Past threads people suggested ground chipolte pepper. I ordered it. What do you use it for?

[Marsha]

Use ground chipotle in place of chipotle in adobo, cayenne, jalapeno - any place you'd like to kick it up a notch with a smokey undercurrent - it's hard to describe!

[pipely]

I love the Italian sausage seasoning. I use it with super lean ground beef or ground turkey and use the mixture in place of fattening Italian sausage. Just mix it together and let the flavors marinate an hour or so. It was wonderful in lasagne. Also the breakfast sausage seasoning is excellent too. I use super lean ground beef and make my own breakfast sausage. It's great!

We also like the lamb seasoning. It's wonderful on leg of lamb and lamb chops. It's not too over powering.

The whole vanilla beans are a good buy, compared to what the grocery store charges.

I've given Pensey's gifts certificates for wedding gifts. They loved picking out items their own items.

[doggerham]

I have to second my CL buddy, Marsha's words on Penzeys. When I discovered the Houston store (about .5 miles from home), I called her on cell phone from my car, so unbelievably excited! Luckily she (and our other CL dinner group folks) didn't think I was totally insane to be so excited about a spice store. I'm currently replacing all my nasty old, ancient spices one at a time. Its just hard to throw stuff away.

Amy

[Grace]

I buy ALL my spices at Penzey's now, but what I love best are their peppercorns, Vietnamese cinnamon, maharajah curry powder (the best of all of them, in my opinion), whole nutmegs, whole cardamom, etc. All the stuff you can't buy at the grocery store. But the regular stuff (thyme, oregano, etc.) is MUCH fresher and better smelling/tasting than what you get at the grocery store, hence, I get everything there. Have fun! Another addiction - you'll see...

[Leonard]

Can someone tell me about Penzey's. Do they have a website I can checkout. I love to try new spices. Thanks for the info!!

[eloise forever]

Leonard: Try www.penzeys.com (http://www.penzeys.com) and also check out this past thread on the topic: http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/Forum1/HTML/001221.html

[Melman]

My favorites are ALL the cinnamon varieties, almond extract, and regular and Dutch process cocoa. As far as all those other spices/herbs/blends....I'm having a really hard time picking favorites. As all the regular Penzey's customers have been saying...EVERYTHING is wonderful!! I've been working on my next order, and I've just added some of the favorites from this current list!

[Terrytx]

I would like to know where the new Penzeys is in Houston, please.

[Marsha]

The address for the Houston store is 516 W 19th Street (this is in the Heights), telephone # 713-862-6777. Check out their website www.penzeys.com! (http://www.penzeys.com!)

[MrsReber]

I am fairly new to Penzey's. So far, I have gotten two kinds of cinnamon, vanilla beans, the breakfast saugsage seasoning, the creamy peppercorn dressing mix and the green goddess dressing mix. We have loved everything so far. I threw out my old cinnamon- never again from the supermarket! My husband used the breakfast sausage seasonin on some venison and it was really good. The creamy peppercorn dressing is great, plus you can make it low fat or non fat depending on which mayo and sour cream you use.

My friend and I placed an order together so we saved on shipping and saved on the cost of the vanilla beans since we bought a larger amount and split them up.

[donleyk]

Nothing is more exiciting then when there is a Pensey's box on my front porch! I will never again buy bay leaves from a grocery store. It used to be that bay leaf was just something I fished out of my mom soups. When I used one from Penzey's, I was amazed at how my soup tasted. I buy most everything there. I always add one or two new items when I have to reorder staples.

I also have thrown out store bought spices when my Penzey order came. I felt bad wasting them but the flavor is worth it.

[RUSTYSMOM]

I hope you are all happy - I just sent off my $70 order to Penzey's!!! Oh well, I will just tell my husband my friends on the board insisted. Thank you....

[SueK]

Tiger-I think you'll love your spices! I'm in PA, just like you are, so I guess we'll have to settle for the catalog/web site for now. When I first ordered, I basically ordered everything I had in my spice cabinet. Then when the UPS truck rolled up, I threw out everything in my cupboard, and filled it up again with Penzeys spices. I love them all!

[Lisa D]

I am with rustysmom--a couple of months ago, I cleaned house and got rid of all of the spices I have had for eons and got fresh (about $70 too!). My favorite is the saffron--I am a big rice, paella fan and just a pinch of their saffron makes it out of this world! It is totally worth the price! The other "martha stewart" thing I did was order empty jars for the spices that were still fresh--now my cupboard is a uniform penzeys glass with yellow stickers! Yes, this is fairly insane but I figure we all have our vices and apparantly uniform spice jars is one of mine http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif!!!
Lisa