"Steve Freides" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove wrote:
>> Has anyone ever bought dried oregano that smelled or tasted off?
>>
>> The first time I noticed this, I wasn't sure what it was. I bought
>> the Italian seasoning from Costco. It had a musty odor to it and it
>> didn't taste good to us. I think it was a Mccormick seasoning but it
>> was different than what I usually buy. I think it said "Northern
>> Italian" or something.
>> I just assumed that we didn't like it and I threw it out.
>>
>> And now I have some Archer Farms oregano. I notice that the aroma of
>> it when I open the bottle is very strong/sharp. I can't really tell
>> if it is a different aroma than usual. I will have to buy another
>> brand and compare them. And there isn't the must smell. But it
>> seems to have an off flavor. I thought at first that it was just
>> stronger than usual. So I used less of it. But that didn't help. Gives
>> an off flavor to my dish. I will buy another brand tomorrow
>> and see if that is better.
>> Oregano is one of the herbs/spices that I have been using for years. And
>> I used to put a ton of it in my red pasta sauce. I am not brand
>> loyal either. If I need it, I will buy it wherever I am and will
>> usually get whatever the cheapest stuff is. That could be the 99
>> cent stuff at the drugstore, but usually it's McCormick or Schilling.
>
> Sounds like you're using inconsistent sources for an important ingredient
> and getting inconsistent results - perhaps settling on a brand you like
> will solve that problem for you. Even if you find several high quality
> sources, their differing tastes could result in dishes you don't like -
> it's easy to consistently source this so why not do just that? Oregano
> that's too _good_ - fresher, stronger flavor - could ruin a dish, too.
>
> We like Trader Joe's for powdered herbs/spices. They don't have a big
> selection of herbs and spices but I'm pretty sure they do have oregano. We
> now get our cinnamon, black pepper (in a grinder), garlic powder, and a
> few others there.
>
> -S-

That could be. Thing is, I take oil of oregano daily and have applied it
externally. I don't know if dried oregano would have the same scent but
this certainly does not. Maybe I should always buy the same one. I don't
get to TJ's too often. It's not close to where I live and I hate waiting in
the long lines there.