domesticity: herbs and spices

[redbird]

Now that we have a plant cart large enough to hold bigger flowerpots, I repotted the rosemary. The process went smoothly, without the old pot clinging to the plant (or vice versa), so I am hopeful. The thyme and sage can wait a day or two, but the rosemary that was crowding the little plastic container it came in.

Prompted by an online discussion and memories of the long-departed Moroccan Star restaurant, I put a cardamom pod in with the tea leaves when I made my last cup of tea. The cardamom worked well: the flavor was noticeable but didn't overpower the tea. I expect to do this again, though maybe not often right now: Penzey's is closed for at least another week, and I don't have another source of good cardamom.

We're already out of oregano and low on thyme, but the supermarket seems more likely to have good-enough jars of those. (mrissa pointed out yesterday that even if Penzey's reopens on April 13th, which seems unlikely, there's going to be a backlog of orders, and shipping takes time. I'm used to walking into their shop on Mass Ave in Arlington.) I am vaguely annoyed at this, because I looked at their "stock up for a few months" emails in February, looked at my spice cabinet, and decided we had all the herbs and spices we needed for a while.

Comments

[redbird]

I tried using the whole seeds, not in pods, this morning, and didn't notice any flavor from two of those in a mug of tea. When I opened the container, there was a definite strong cardamom smell. This is odd.

[sine_nomine]

When I put cardomom in tea I crack the pods first. Put in tea cup with tea. Pour water and let steep. I do find that it takes rather more than two of them though - but that's me. I really like cardomom to come throgh in taste.

[redbird]

Taking one pod, cracking it, and putting it in with the tea leaves worked.

I got two cups, following adrian_turtle's suggestion to reuse the cardamom, but the third cup I tried to use it for wasn't cardamom-flavored.

[sine_nomine]

So glad you found a satisfactory solution!