If You LOL at the Idea of Grinding Your Own Spices, Read This

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Compared to ground spices, whole spices stay good for longer. And that means that unless your ground spices are top-notch, you'll get a fresher, more potent product from toasting and grinding whole spices yourself. But even though whole spices are The Best, ground spices are without a doubt more convenient. (I don't know about you, but I'm not toasting and grinding spices on a weeknight.) That doesn't mean, however, that you have to settle for sub-par spices. To make the most of pre-ground spices, follow these guidelines:

1. Respect their short shelf-life

If their color or fragrance fades, toss them. If they smell like nothing, they taste like nothing.

2. If you can, buy in small quantities

This increases the chance you’ll get through them before they lose their power. How much sweet paprika do you really need anyway?

3. Don’t eat them raw

Besides cinnamon, cardamom, black pepper, and chile flakes, we don’t endorse the consumption of raw spices. Toasting or blooming spices brings out the most flavor.

4. Just say no to pre-ground black pepper

Grinding it yourself is easy, worth it, and, with this grinder, fun, too.

I promise, this thing makes a HUGE difference.

Originally Appeared on Bon Appétit