Spice Care

To increase the shelf life and get the most out of your Gewürzhaus spices, here are some simple tips to follow…

How do I store my spices?

+ Out of sunlight (that’s generally why we use amber tinted jars and black bags)
+ Away from moisture & condensation (keep those jars away from the stove!)
+ Out of the heat
+ In an airtight jar or container

How long will they last if stored correctly?

Spices don’t have expiry dates as such, they simply loose their flavour and aroma. Here is a rough guide to how long they will be at their prime:

+ Whole spice: up to 2 years
+ Ground spice: up to 1 year
+ Leafy herbs: 1 to 2 years
+ Salts: Indefinitely

If you have visited our shop and self scooped your spices, we recommend you keep them in the spice bags for no longer than two weeks. Although the bags are lined, they are not 100% airtight – ground spices especially will hold their aroma and potency better in a jar or air tight container. Be sure to place each individual bag in a separate container to avoid aroma taint. This is especially important for the pungent spices and blends: cardamom is a notorious contaminator!

My spice blend has turned clumpy. Why?

We don’t add preservative or anti-caking agents to our blends, so as nature has it, some of them will tend to clump. This is generally due to the higher moisture content of certain spices: juniper berry, for example, retains some moisture even when dry. Should one of your spices or blends clump, just break them up with a spoon and use as before.

Do you grind and blend your spices in-house?

Yes, we make only small batches to ensure freshness and high quality.

How should I take care of my Himalayan salt slab or bowl?

Please refer to the cleaning and cooking instructions here.