I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I'm aiming to spend up to 30 pounds.

BugBear

We use the attachment for our Kenwood mixer. If your friend has a mixer, an
attachment might be better than a stand alone machine.

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I'm aiming to spend up to 30 pounds.

BugBear

We use the attachment for our Kenwood mixer. If your friend has a mixer, an
attachment might be better than a stand alone machine.

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I'm aiming to spend up to 30 pounds.

BugBear

bugbear of Customer of PlusNet plc
(http://www.plus.net) wrote:

I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I just bought a coffee grinder from a reputable manufacturer. The only
specific requirement for spices is to have a small capacity so that the
ground spices don't get lost around a bigger grinding area. Consider how
easy it is to clean. I tend to brush out the bits from mine and give it a
wipe with a bit of damp kitchen towel. This is OK because mine is only ever
used for spices, so a bit of one spice blend in the next doesn't matter. I
don't think it's feasible to get them clean enough to swap between coffee
and spices in the same machine.
--
Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.
Steph Peters, Manchester, England
email: delete invalid from lid

bugbear of Customer of PlusNet plc
(http://www.plus.net) wrote:

I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I just bought a coffee grinder from a reputable manufacturer. The only
specific requirement for spices is to have a small capacity so that the
ground spices don't get lost around a bigger grinding area. Consider how
easy it is to clean. I tend to brush out the bits from mine and give it a
wipe with a bit of damp kitchen towel. This is OK because mine is only ever
used for spices, so a bit of one spice blend in the next doesn't matter. I
don't think it's feasible to get them clean enough to swap between coffee
and spices in the same machine.
--
Time flies like an arrow, but fruit flies like a banana.
Steph Peters, Manchester, England
email: delete invalid from lid

Steph Peters wrote:

I just bought a coffee grinder from a reputable manufacturer. The only
specific requirement for spices is to have a small capacity so that the
ground spices don't get lost around a bigger grinding area. Consider how
easy it is to clean. I tend to brush out the bits from mine and give it a
wipe with a bit of damp kitchen towel. This is OK because mine is only ever
used for spices, so a bit of one spice blend in the next doesn't matter. I
don't think it's feasible to get them clean enough to swap between coffee
and spices in the same machine.

As far as the blade-type grinders go, when grinding something where a
tiny amount is needed (and when it's appropriate for the recipe) I add a
half teaspoon or teaspoon or so of coarse corn meal. This helps pick up
all the finer grit that might be lost sticking to the sides, and helps
distribute it throughout the dish being prepared.

"bugbear" wrote in message
...
I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I'm aiming to spend up to 30 pounds.

BugBear

my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if you
want to grind coffee as well. They are handy if grinding a lot of spice -
maybe to store but otherwise not worth the bother...
A good quality heavy cast iron, but small, frying pan - to roast the spices
might be an alternative. I would certainly be very happy to get such a gift.

have you tried uk.food+drink.indian for alternative viewpoints?


fiona

Quoting from message
posted on 22 Sep 2004 by Polyvinyl
I would like to add:


"bugbear" wrote in message
...
I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I'm aiming to spend up to 30 pounds.

BugBear

my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!

Agreed, since spices should be freshly ground (but if you're using them daily
then sufficient for a few days can be ground at the sme time and stored).

Typhoon's cast iron range are very good and even make grinding cloves
relatively easy.

have you tried uk.food+drink.indian for alternative viewpoints?

It has been discussed more than once but it won't harm to post the query
as ufdi is not a heavy traffic group.

(sorry the topic is not on the website)

--
....ElaineJ... Home Pages and FAQ of uk.food+drink.indian can be viewed at
....Kinetic... http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/ejones/ufdi/index.html
...StrongArm.. Under construction, FAQ, recipes, tips, booklist, links
....RISC PC... Questions and suggestions please, email or to the newsgroup

Quoting from message
posted on 22 Sep 2004 by Polyvinyl
I would like to add:


"bugbear" wrote in message
...
I'm buying a birthday gift for a friend
who likes making Mexican and Indian food.

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

Since there don't appear to be any
spice grinder per se, a small coffee grinder
seems to be the standard solution.

So; does anybody have any
preferances/recommendations, available in the UK?

I'm aiming to spend up to 30 pounds.

BugBear

my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!

Agreed, since spices should be freshly ground (but if you're using them daily
then sufficient for a few days can be ground at the sme time and stored).

Typhoon's cast iron range are very good and even make grinding cloves
relatively easy.

have you tried uk.food+drink.indian for alternative viewpoints?

It has been discussed more than once but it won't harm to post the query
as ufdi is not a heavy traffic group.

(sorry the topic is not on the website)

--
....ElaineJ... Home Pages and FAQ of uk.food+drink.indian can be viewed at
....Kinetic... http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/ejones/ufdi/index.html
...StrongArm.. Under construction, FAQ, recipes, tips, booklist, links
....RISC PC... Questions and suggestions please, email or to the newsgroup

"Polyvinyl" of wrote:
my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if you
want to grind coffee as well. They are handy if grinding a lot of spice -
maybe to store but otherwise not worth the bother...

You are right. Since acquiring a really big heavy stone pestle and mortar,
the electric grinder hasn't been used. And the small pestle and mortar can
go in the dishwasher.
--
Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that
sometimes he has to eat them. Adlai E Stevenson
Steph Peters, Manchester, England
email: delete invalid from lid

"Polyvinyl" of wrote:
my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if you
want to grind coffee as well. They are handy if grinding a lot of spice -
maybe to store but otherwise not worth the bother...

You are right. Since acquiring a really big heavy stone pestle and mortar,
the electric grinder hasn't been used. And the small pestle and mortar can
go in the dishwasher.
--
Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that
sometimes he has to eat them. Adlai E Stevenson
Steph Peters, Manchester, England
email: delete invalid from lid

"Polyvinyl" of wrote:
my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if you
want to grind coffee as well. They are handy if grinding a lot of spice -
maybe to store but otherwise not worth the bother...

You are right. Since acquiring a really big heavy stone pestle and mortar,
the electric grinder hasn't been used. And the small pestle and mortar can
go in the dishwasher.
--
Man does not live by words alone, despite the fact that
sometimes he has to eat them. Adlai E Stevenson
Steph Peters, Manchester, England
email: delete invalid from lid

"Steph Peters" wrote in message
...
"Polyvinyl" of wrote:
my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find
that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than
using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if
you
want to grind coffee as well. They are handy if grinding a lot of spice -
maybe to store but otherwise not worth the bother...

You are right. Since acquiring a really big heavy stone pestle and
mortar,
the electric grinder hasn't been used. And the small pestle and mortar
can
go in the dishwasher.


I use an ordinary hand coffee grinder I bought from a boot sale. Cleaned it
well. You can grind small amounts at a time. Very easy and cheap. No need
to put in dishwasher. No need to clean at all really.

Stodge

"Steph Peters" wrote in message
...
"Polyvinyl" of wrote:
my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find
that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than
using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if
you
want to grind coffee as well. They are handy if grinding a lot of spice -
maybe to store but otherwise not worth the bother...

You are right. Since acquiring a really big heavy stone pestle and
mortar,
the electric grinder hasn't been used. And the small pestle and mortar
can
go in the dishwasher.


I use an ordinary hand coffee grinder I bought from a boot sale. Cleaned it
well. You can grind small amounts at a time. Very easy and cheap. No need
to put in dishwasher. No need to clean at all really.

Stodge

On Wed, 22 Sep 2004, Polyvinyl wrote:

bugbear wrote:

I though I'd get him an electric
spice grinder.

my tuppenceworth, as someone who always grinds her own spices, I find that
it is more hassle using an electric grinder and then cleaning it than using
a good old fashioned morter and pestle!
Small coffee grinders do work but are a bugger to clean - especially if you
want to grind coffee as well.

I have a dedicated Krups grinder for spices. The oval one that goes for
around US$20. I have another one, an older model, dedicated to grinding
nuts. I use it daily. I don't grind coffee. And I don't bother to clean
them, though the cover on the one used for nuts does need to be cleaned
once a year.

Don donwiss at panix.com.