How to Store Spices, Extracts and Flour So They Stay Fresh in a Nairobi Kitchen

Good ingredients deserve a good home. A jar of chilli that smelled wonderful when you opened it can taste terrible a few months later if it sits on the counter or pantry shelves - please refrigerate all chillies, mustards and rennet at all times. Extracts can turn bitter if they become exposed to sunlight and heat - please keep the extracts and cacao products in a cool, dark and dry place. The good news is that a few unhurried habits keep almost everything in your pantry at its best.

Know the four enemies

Nearly every pantry problem comes down to four things:

• Heat: warmth speeds up the loss of aroma in spices and makes extracts go stale.
• Light: sunlight fades colour and flavour, especially in extracts, chilli and mustard.
• Air: every time a jar is opened, a little freshness escapes.
• Moisture: steam from cooking and damp weather make flours clump and extracts spoil.

In many kitchens the cooker, the window and the kettle sit close together, so it is worth choosing your storage spot with care.

Spices: whole lasts longer than ground

Whole spices such as star anise hold their flavour far longer than ground ones, because the aromatic oils stay locked inside. If you can, buy whole and grind small amounts as you need them in a mortar or a clean coffee grinder.

For storing spices and blends:

1. Keep them in airtight glass jars with tight lids.
2. Store them in a cupboard or drawer away from the cooker, not on an open shelf in the sun.
3. Never shake a jar directly over a steaming pot. Spoon out what you need instead, so steam does not get inside.
4. Use a dry spoon every time.
5. Label each jar with the name and the date you opened it.

A simple freshness test: rub a pinch between your fingers and smell it. If the aroma is faint, it is time to use it up generously or replace it.

Flours and powders: keep them dry and sealed

Flours and powders attract weevils and absorb moisture, so the paper bag they arrive in is not the best long-term home.

• Tip them into airtight containers as soon as you open them.
• Finish the old batch before adding a new one, rather than mixing them.
• Wholegrain flours contain more natural oils, so buy them in amounts you will use fairly soon.
• Wipe out containers and let them dry completely before refilling.

Buy little and often

The easiest way to enjoy fragrant spices and fresh oil is to buy smaller amounts more often, so your pantry is always moving. It also leaves room to try something new each time.

When you are ready to refill your shelves, browse our shop and give each jar a good home.