We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
Hello Forumites! However well-intentioned, for the safety of other users we ask that you refrain from seeking or offering medical advice. This includes recommendations for medicines, procedures or over-the-counter remedies. Posts or threads found to be in breach of this rule will be removed.📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
"Best before" dates on herbs and spices
Bogof_Babe
Posts: 10,803 Forumite
Do I need to take any notice of the best before dates on the little Schwartz and similar jars and packets? I need some ground ginger for the weekend, and find my almost full jar is dated 1999 
but it smells and appears perfectly okay.
I've also, while looking for the ginger, found a jar of white pepper that must be about 30 years old - now do I dare use it?
Love the new animated smileys btw :T .
but it smells and appears perfectly okay.I've also, while looking for the ginger, found a jar of white pepper that must be about 30 years old - now do I dare use it?
Love the new animated smileys btw :T .
I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
0
Comments
-
yep.. the flavour will be weak, but if you open the jar they should smell nasty if they are that old! :eek:I’m a Forum Ambassador and I support the Forum Team on the Quick Grabbit, Freebies, Overseas Holidays & Travel Planning and the UK Holidays, Days Out & Entertainments boards.
If you need any help on these boards, do let me know. Please note that Ambassadors are not moderators. Any posts you spot in breach of the Forum Rules should be reported via the report button, or by emailing forumteam@moneysavingexpert.com.
All views are my own and not the official line of MoneySavingExpert.0 -
Personally, I wouldn't.
I would cut my losses, buy new (and then work out how many ways I'll use it up before it expires
)
If you do decide to use the ginger and the recipe suggests 1tsp, use that, then taste .. you may need to add more.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0 -
Thanks both of you, for the amazingly quick replies! I actually just wanted it to sprinkle on melon for a starter - so perhaps you are right Queenie, new would be best. Goes against the MSE grain though :rolleyes: lol.
Anyone got a ginger cake recipe? (or bickies even?). I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
0 -
Gingerbread:
8oz plain flour
2oz sugar
1 tsp mixed spice
1 level teasp bicarbonate of soda
1 - 2 tsps ground ginger
4oz lard or butter
6oz black treacle
2oz golden syrup
1/4 pt milk
1 egg
Sieve the dry ingredients into a mixing bowl
Put lard (butter), treacle and syrup into a saucepan and heat until the fat has melted. Cool slightly and add to the dry ingredients.
Warm the milk in the pan (makes certain that all the syrup and treacle isn't wasted ). Pour over the ingredients in the mixing bowl and beat thoroughly.
Finally, beat in the egg.
Line a 7in square tin with greased proof paper, pour in the ginegerbread mix and bake in the centre of a cool oven (Gas 2 or equivalent) for approx 1¼ - 1½ hrs.
Allow to cool in the tin for 10mins before turning out onto a cooling rack.
Store in an airtight tin for a few days to allow the flavour to mature before cutting/eating
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0 -
Hmm, I can foresee a teensy problem with your last sentence! I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
0
-
Anyone tried getting fresh ginger root and keeping it in the freezer? Then you can grate of just as much as you need for a recipe. Much easier to grate when it is frozen :j:wave: In my new basket: A slightly whiffy blanket; Racy’s 2nd favorite jumper; remains of a slipper; 2 sticks (1 chewed); bouncy ball collection (4); Racy’s iPod :shhh: and a large sock (found under Racy's bed)0
-
I appear to only have need of ginger once every 5 or 6 years! That's the trouble with those little jars - they are just not little enough!
I do buy the refill packs for things I use regularly, i.e. mixed herbs, garlic granules, celery salt. It's the occasional things where the recipe says 1 tsp, and you don't make that meal again for ages. Perhaps that's where I'm going wrong. Need more dinner parties!:rotfl: I haven't bogged off yet, and I ain't no babe
0 -
Nasnowt wrote:Anyone tried getting fresh ginger root and keeping it in the freezer? Then you can grate of just as much as you need for a recipe. Much easier to grate when it is frozen :j
Great tip - I didn't know that - thank you
Bo.B - you *must* leave it a couple of days to mature - do a batch bake, so you have some things you can nibble on in the meantime
Ginger is nice, used sparingly, in stirfries.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
PMS Pot: £57.53 Pigsback Pot: £23.00
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~0 -
Fresh ginger is gorgeous in carrot and green apple juice - and very good for you.
Mmmmmm - Mr Tesco has just delivered, I now have lots of carrots and apples.....cue juicer...0 -
Wish I'd seen this thread before making sticky ginger pudding last night! :rolleyes:
I also used some old ginger (1998!!!) and even though I put about a tablespoon in we could barely taste it. Time to throw it out and use the new stuff I guess "An Ye Harm None, Do What Ye Will"
~
It is that what you do, good or bad,
will come back to you three times as strong!
0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 350.4K Banking & Borrowing
- 252.9K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.3K Spending & Discounts
- 243.4K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.6K Life & Family
- 256.4K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards