Knorr bouillon cubes are on sale at Kroger in the Mexican section for 79 cents for an 8-pack. The SAME item is $1.19 for a 6-pack a few feet away in the soup section! Each cube makes two cups of broth. Makes me wonder what else is out there at lower prices if we only knew where to look!

-- Jill D. (jdance@mindspring.com), October 01, 1999

Answers

I tried a bar of very reasonably priced bath soap that was in the "Mexican section" of our local grocery store. It was Venus Rose, and sold for only 25 cents a bar! I was pleasantly surprised with it and plan to buy quite a bit more.

Gerald

-- Gerald R. Cox (grcox@internetwork.net), October 01, 1999.

Bay leaves, cumin seed, all kinds of dried peppers, someitmes sesame seeds { check the Asian section for better prices on these, too }, dried shrimp...I'm gettin' hungry! You can also get good old lard there - 'spose to keep forever - I used to use it to make mean Parker House rolls.

-- flora (***@__._), October 01, 1999.

I have found that hard sauce is in the 'other' section of the store along with whole wheat, cajun, and diabetic foods. The hard sauce is the white icing that is on cinnamon buns. It comes in a jar and is great for storage. The package is very elegant too. It is usually under $3. And that is the name of it-- Hard Sauce. I use it to jazz up my banana bread, etc.

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), October 02, 1999.

Mexican food aisle at Cub Foods has great deals on spices like sesame seeds and white pepper. I have purchased quite a few of different spices.

Just a note. Dollar store has canned hams (they do not say chopped, so I am hoping!) for 1.79. They are Bristol brand from Holland.

-- Dian (bdp@accessunited.com), October 03, 1999.

Hello! If any of you would like to order herbs/spices etc. in bulk, you might try Frontier Herbs in Norway, Iowa. 1-800-669-3275. For example, you can buy 1 pound of sesame seeds for $2.50, or 1# of cocoa powder (for baking and cooking) for $2.50. They sell herbs for healing, as well as herbs for cooking. Very reliable company...you have to join their cooperative, and then when you order, it's shipped out the same day (or next) and arrives by US mail within 4-5 days. I've been ordering from them for 20 some years, and have always been completely happy with their products. Their stuff is packed in sealed pouches, and I've ordered 1# of every spice I use, and just stuck them inside a plastic bucket...they'll keep for years, unopened, I would think. I also ordered extra herbs that are known to be good for healing, like cayenne, tumeric, ginger, peppermint, etc., but mostly, I want to be sure I don't run out of cumin, curry, sesame seeds, cocoa, etc....things that I cook with every day!

When I open a new pound bag of a certain spice, I pour a little of it into a small spice jar (saved from the old days, or sometimes I use a clean empty brown glass vitamin type jar) and I keep the rest in a clean quart jar. Be sure to label your jars, and be sure they're clean and dry before you put the spice or herbs in.

Margo

-- Margo (margos@bigisland.com), October 03, 1999.

Tip for keeping herbs/spices much longer. NEVER sprinkle herbs or spices into the pot. The steam from the cooking gets into the opened jar and the moisture hastens deterioration. Use a spoon or other container or (my preferenced!) your cupped hand before adding to hot food.

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), October 04, 1999.

Thanks, Old Git! I forgot to mention that! Also, when I open a spice jar to take some out, I put the lid back on immediately...less time exposed to the moist kitchen air, the better. We live in Hawaii, so the air is always damp. Thus, emptying out a little of the spice into a small jar, and putting the rest in a quart jar means that I only have to open the quart jar 2 or 3 times a year, and it stays perfectly fresh and dry.

-- Margo (margos@bigisland.com), October 04, 1999.