Penzeys Spices

[cleohanlon]

I drove past the building yesterday, which looks semi-finished but very much unoccupied.

The tenative date for opening is now Aug 17, but they are not too hopeful. Apparently, the inspectors are quite slow, and backlogged in VA.

[Ilaine]

The tenative date for opening is now Aug 17, but they are not too hopeful. Apparently, the inspectors are quite slow, and backlogged in VA.

City of Falls Church does the inspections, not the state nor even the surrounding county. For a small municipality, there's an awful lot of construction to keep up with. It's urbanizing rapidly.

The plus side of which is the advent of places like Penzey's.

[Sthitch]

Well it is August 23rd, anyone know if the Falls Church store has opened?

[FunnyJohn]

Well it is August 23rd, anyone know if the Falls Church store has opened?

Not according to their website. I got a post card a few months ago saying they were looking for employees, but no news since.

[Scott Johnston]

Try the 800 number for the latest scoop. At least that is where I got update to date info on Rockville as it opened.

[Ilaine]

Well it is August 23rd, anyone know if the Falls Church store has opened?

We drove past that location a week and a half ago, and no sign of Penzey, not even a "Coming Soon" sign.

[baczkowski]

I had a pork tenderloin I wanted to cook pretty quickly after working late, so I just drizzled on some olive oil and a good coating of Penzey's Barbecues of the Americas spice mix and tossed it on the grill. Delicious. Ridiculously simple and probably the best pork tenderloin I've had. I've used this spice mix as my ribs' seasoning before, but I appreciated the spiced char far more with the juiciness of the ternderloin. The initial bite was good, but I think it was the hint of sweetness a few seconds after chewing that really made it a little more special. The ease and satisfaction will make it hard not to just prepare it this way from now on.

Pax,

Brian

[cleohanlon]

Penzeys is opening in VA this Friday or Saturday, Sept 7/8.

[Pete]

Penzeys is opening in VA this Friday or Saturday, Sept 7/8.

I just got confirmation from Penzey's that the Falls Church store is officially opening on Saturday, September 8th.

[MsDiPesto]

I had a pork tenderloin I wanted to cook pretty quickly after working late, so I just drizzled on some olive oil and a good coating of Penzey's Barbecues of the Americas spice mix and tossed it on the grill. Delicious. Ridiculously simple and probably the best pork tenderloin I've had. I've used this spice mix as my ribs' seasoning before, but I appreciated the spiced char far more with the juiciness of the ternderloin. The initial bite was good, but I think it was the hint of sweetness a few seconds after chewing that really made it a little more special. The ease and satisfaction will make it hard not to just prepare it this way from now on.

Pax,

Brian

Very good to know as that was the spice they threw in the box as a freebie with one of our last orders. And pork tenderloin is a frequent resort for us, whether it's entertaining, bringing food to a party, etc.

[ScotteeM]

I went, I sniffed, and I bought a few more things than I had planned on . . .

This is a great way to buy spices, herbs, and seasonings--where you can sniff before you buy. I bought a few things I didn't expect to, based on fragrance, and some things I thought I'd want I passed by on this trip after sniffing them.

Maybe later. It's nice to have this so close to home!

[Scott Johnston]

I went in to their new Falls Church location on Sunday (and I am very glad that they are open on Sunday , as they close at 6 PM during the week). The setup is nearly the same as the Rockville Store. They rotate their stock every 5-6 weeks through a weekly shipment from HQ. During the Holidays they will get 2 shipments a week. The store is 95% spices, salts and spice mixtures. They sell empty spice bottles of various sizes, some grinders, magazines and a few other things. I was surprised that they do not have more devices and accessories. I have found their spices to be very fresh, reasonable in price and every time I am in one of their stores, I learn something. There is also a really cool coloring area for kids. While not always convenient, I rather buy my spices here than at the local mega mart. I think the costs are less, selection greater and the quality higher!

[MsDiPesto]

Made it to the Falls Church Penzey's today, and restocked several things and gave a try to others. Nice space, convenient parking, cherry space. And being able to smell different things is wonderful. Finally, I know which ingredient is responsible for the aroma in curry. Almost got the Green/Black Peppercorn mix, but the price put me off. Took home the Telicherry instead, which is always good.

[Pat]

I made my first trip to the Falls Church store today, after several to the Rockville store. I hate the drive to Rockville, but I'm not sure the drive to Falls Church is a whole lot better. It seems silly, though, to pay for shipping and wait for delivery when I can drive to a store.

They seem increasingly to be pushing new products, including more and more blends. At some point, it would seem that the expanding inventory has got to push something else off the shelves. The Falls Church store seemed about the same size as the Rockville space to me, and, as Scott noted, the layout is essentially the same. I do like the ability to smell spices before buying them. On the last trip, that led me to buy things I hadn't planned on, but I was more disciplined this time.

The 8 oz. bottle of double strength vanilla ($27.69) really blew my budget, but I decided on that over the smaller size. I'm almost out of vanilla, including the batch I made myself. Their vanilla is about the best I've encountered. I only made one impulse purchase (though I had a long list ) and that was Northwoods Seasoning, which I have not previously tried. Another thing I bought that I've never used is juniper berries, but they were on my list . Of course, I've been compiling this list for months, and I have no idea now what I needed them for when I added them to the list .

[Sthitch]

Another thing I bought that I've never used is juniper berries

They come in handy if you ever plan to make your own grav lox. I also add them to spice blends that I make for some pork dishes.

[Scott Johnston]

Here is the email, note it says I can forward to a friend (or two)

Dear Scott,

We are just finishing up sending off our newest catalog to the printers and I am excited. I really think we have made a better spice and seasoning catalog. The look of the catalog has changed a little. I know from past experience that even in the most stable of times, change can bring letters of worry to my mailbox. I cook too. I understand just how important what goes on in the kitchen is to my and my family's life, and I don't want anything to change what happens there. I'm still only starting to recover from when my favorite tomato paste changed the woman they feature on their 6 oz can, and that was probably over a decade ago.

We respect what it is you do in your kitchen, and the ideas for the changes to our catalog have grown out of that respect and admiration for what it is you do in your kitchen. What has me excited is that I think we have been able in this catalog to successfully blend in with our spices a sense of just how wonderful people (like you) who cook are. Over the years I have come to understand that where spices are all about the best in nature, people who take the time to cook are all about the best in human nature. At Penzeys Spices we are so lucky to be at this intersection of the best in nature with the best in human nature, and I think our new catalog takes a big step toward showing just where we live.

So once again to reassure: even though the catalog has changed a little, Penzeys has not. It is just me being me, and us being us, only now we are a little bit more so.

Oh yes and free cloves: I hate to take up your time with an email without giving you something in return, and it does seem to be the clove time of year. Whether you are doing something as traditional as an Easter ham or as fresh as a spring vegetable curry, whole cloves add that extra zip that makes all the difference. With what supermarkets charge for cloves these days I fear people will just give them a pass this year. Our prices are much better than the supermarket, but with cloves free there is no reason at all to bypass their wonderful flavor.

So now through April 11, you can get a free (with any purchase) ¼ cup jar of our whole Madagascar cloves. To redeem at the Penzeys store nearest you, simply print out this e-mail and bring it in. Or just click here to place an order and get your free cloves. When completing the order, enter code 52133C in the box on the order screen. Or if you prefer to order by phone, simply mention this same code - 52133C - to our friendly operators. We're at 800-741-7787.So the new catalog is on the way to the printers. It will take a while to get to your home, but when it arrives please check it out. A few more pages, a few more recipes and a lot more of what makes cooking so magical. I hope you enjoy it - and your free cloves,

Bill Penzey

PS: Feel free to forward this offer to a friend.

No Cash Value. Limit one per household. Original e-mail printout must be presented at time of redemption in retail store. Not applicable to prior sales. Orders placed by mail must include printout of this e-mail. Orders placed by phone or online use product code 52133C for free ¼ Cup Jar of Madagascar Cloves. Product code must be entered in Express Ordering section of our online store at www.penzeys.com. Standard shipping and handling rates apply. Offer expires April 11, 2009.

[zoramargolis]

I had a chance to visit the brand new Penzey's store in downtown Santa Monica. They have a cool display for their vanilla and sweet baking spices, in a re-created 1940's kitchen. And I was able to introduce a friend to Penzey's, who'd never heard of them.

[FunnyJohn]

Anyone else tried the Barbecue 3000 rub? I'm a big fan especially on ribs. [Would an administrator please retitle this thread by deleting the reference to the clove deal which has long since expired.}

[KMango]

Anyone else tried the Barbecue 3000 rub? I'm a big fan especially on ribs. [Would an administrator please retitle this thread by deleting the reference to the clove deal which has long since expired.}

Yes, believe it or not it transforms grilled squash into a smoky pleasure. Mix the seasoning and a touch of olive oil with the raw veggies, and grill accordingly.

I was just at the Rockville store yesterday and they were giving away .6oz (the big one) bottles of their new Pasta Sprinkle. The main ingredient is dried basil, so I am skeptical, but will be trying it tonight with pasta made from my CSA share.

[Pat]

I was just at the Rockville store yesterday and they were giving away .6oz (the big one) bottles of their new Pasta Sprinkle. The main ingredient is dried basil, so I am skeptical, but will be trying it tonight with pasta made from my CSA share.

I always keep pasta sprinkle on hand. I use it as an all-purpose dried Italian seasoning.

I've been sorting through old Penzeys catalogs lately, pulling out recipes. (They have some on their website but not all of the ones in the catalogs.) I'm getting annoyed by how many of the recipes are built around their custom blends. My memory could be off, but I seem to recall that older recipes used more ingredients that had generic substitutions. On the other hand, they have been moving towards more and more of these custom seasonings, so they probably are weighting the recipes more in that direction too. Man, I have saved a ridiculous number of these catalogs over the years. Time to pitch them.

[zoramargolis]

Anyone else tried the Barbecue 3000 rub? I'm a big fan especially on ribs. [Would an administrator please retitle this thread by deleting the reference to the clove deal which has long since expired.}

I make my own bbq rub to use on steak, chicken and grilled veg, and have been going to Penzey's for a key ingredient: onion powder, which I can't often find elsewhere when I need it*. The rub is just about the only place I use garlic powder and onion powder. It also contains Spanish smoked paprika (which I can find cheaper than Penzey's in other places, like A&H Seafood in Bethesda), ground cumin, ancho chile powder, powdered Mexican oregano, powdered allspice, powdered bay leaf, and lots of salt, black pepper and some brown sugar.

*I still have some of the Penzey's onion powder but am running low, and I recently found some in the Latin spice section of Shopper's Food Warehouse. Sorry, Penzey's, but I gotta go for the lower cost option--it's probably the same stuff purchased in bulk and just packaged by the two different purveyors anyway.

[FunnyJohn]

I make my own bbq rub to use on steak, chicken and grilled veg, and have been going to Penzey's for a key ingredient: onion powder, which I can't often find elsewhere when I need it*. The rub is just about the only place I use garlic powder and onion powder. It also contains Spanish smoked paprika (which I can find cheaper than Penzey's in other places, like A&H Seafood in Bethesda), dried cumin, ancho chile powder, powdered Mexican oregano, powdered allspice, powdered bay leaf, and lots of salt, black pepper and some brown sugar.

*I still have some of the Penzey's onion powder but am running low, and I recently found some in the Latin spice section of Shopper's Food Warehouse. Sorry, Penzey's, but I gotta go for the lower cost option--it's probably the same stuff purchased in bulk and just packaged by the two different purveyors anyway.

The Penzey's Spanish smoked paprkika is a key ingredient for my home-made BBQ sauce -- along with the Penzeys Barbecue of the Americas powder. Sometimes I use a rub I found in one of Steve Raichlen's books, but since I discovered the BBQ 3000 I've gotten lazy.

[TheMatt]

Reviving an old thread time! I find myself with a birthday gift card to Penzey's, so I might swing by the Falls Church branch tomorrow. Any tips on new/old good spice blends or spices or anything? It's been a while since I've been in a Penzey's and they seem to have stopped sending me catalogs, so I'm up for any suggestions!

[Pat]

Reviving an old thread time! I find myself with a birthday gift card to Penzey's, so I might swing by the Falls Church branch tomorrow. Any tips on new/old good spice blends or spices or anything? It's been a while since I've been in a Penzey's and they seem to have stopped sending me catalogs, so I'm up for any suggestions!

It depends on how much money you have to play with. I love their double-strength vanilla, but that ran up my total quite a bit on the last trip. Their sandwich sprinkle is great for making pita chips or similar snacks. Their pasta sprinkle is my go-to Italian seasoning. They now have several different varieties of cinnamon, as well. Oh, and pick up some smoked paprika.

Stop at Pizzeria Orso for lunch. It's almost literally around the corner .

[MsDiPesto]

Reviving an old thread time! I find myself with a birthday gift card to Penzey's, so I might swing by the Falls Church branch tomorrow. Any tips on new/old good spice blends or spices or anything? It's been a while since I've been in a Penzey's and they seem to have stopped sending me catalogs, so I'm up for any suggestions!

Check out the "Mural of Flavor" blend. You can make fantastic sauteed carrots with it, and it lends itself quite harmoniously to any variety of dishes. Their Adobo seasoning kicks a lot of things up out of the ho-hum category too.

[Anna Blume]

Visited the Rockville store recently. Lovely and tempting. Found a rare Turkish ingredient that I haven't seen elsewhere, including Yekta shortly thereafter: mahlab seeds (from pits of sour cherries).

Service also great--after I walked out into the frigid air, the sales assistant ran out a minute later in short sleeves to catch me since I left my purchase behind.

It wasn't until I got home that I saw the aleppo pepper was not a pure spice. The label should have said it was a mixture since it contains salt and safflower oil. Probably will return it. (Found just the ground pepper at Dean & DeLuca once.)

[KMango]

Just finished my web ordering off the Penzey's site for holiday gifts.

For orders $20 or more, two-day shipping is the same price as regular shipping, offer ends at noon on Wednesday 12/23.

Highly recommend the 4-jar International Salt Free gift box ($21) or the Mini Gift Box ($12) coupled with the Grill and Broil Mini Gift Box ($7.95) as thoughtful gift options.

(procrastination)

(pays off)

(eventually)

[KMango]

It's beginning to look at lot like Christmas...

OK, no it's not, but wowza the last post on the Penzey's thread was during the holidays. And now another one of their promotions compelled me to post today.

The most recent Penzey's catalog includes a coupon for a free "Teach!" box. A pin, a bumper sticker, a recipe booklet, and two spice jars await. One includes cinnamon, perfect for otherwise ho-hum pastries in the teacher's lounge. The other is a jar of "Forward!", a new Penzey's offering, a bold, salt-free blend that could turn the lunch lady's most mundane casserole into something far more palatable.

Snag your free one, then pick up a few more for around $9 each. A really cute and welcomed gift idea for some of the most important people on the planet.

And make sure to read your receipt carefully...

[SeanMike]

Snag your free one, then pick up a few more for around $9 each. A really cute and welcomed gift idea for some of the most important people on the planet.

I saw that the other week. My mom is a teacher, so that reminds me I need to get down there and pick up one for her...

(And then, ya know, actually visit her or something.)

Of course, while I'm there I'll probably buy a bunch of stuff too. I love their Ozark seasoning...

[ktmoomau]

I think Penzey's is running a pretty good deal if you need a spice right now... 4/S salt, italian herb and southwest spice free if you go to a store (and ma ) and 1/2 cup jar up to $10.49 in value for free in stores.  You can get it online, but there will be shipping, but they dropped the minimum shipping charge to $25.  You need the email or coupon, but can sign up here:  http://spices.penzeys.com/coupon.html?mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiTTJNd09ETXlZV1k0TmpZeCIsInQiOiI0eVpYXC94TzdhXC85clBIVkZyQUVldWhiSmljRzFOSmcybFhkcWlQbXBpZ01WeG9wZjR1UnJEbU82Wk95U3kyNWVFY0VKbjc3QjZ6VVJBQ082ZFBZbHg3RTRUcUJ1dmVaZlNVUEJCOFRqaytXRFVxWExVdkdvNFwvaFNNNHZ4Rm5RSCJ9

Anyway, I think I may stop by on my way out...