The Grind

I'm not talking about too much work. I'm talking about grinding spices. I went on a small, fixed income before I became interested in grilling and barbecuing. So I never got around to buying a spice grinder. Instead I made do with Schilling or McCormick packaged, pre-ground spices.

And that's okay, especially as I'm still learning the ins and outs of preparing rubs, sauces, marinades and the like. But I've always enjoyed the freshness of the black pepper ground right onto my food, like they do for you at those fancy restaurants. Without a grinder or even a pepper mill at home, I was forced to shake out the powdery stuff from my bright white and red tin - Sigh.

Until this week. This week I discovered the McCormick's Grinders. Right now I've got one for Pizza, that dispenses freshly ground hot pepper flakes, and Peppercorn, which has a mix of black, yellow, green and red peppercorns ready for me to grind right onto my hot food! If you're on a budget and never got around to buying a dedicated spice grinder, rush right out and try these new grinder/dispensers.

As I grow and dry my own hot peppers, I'm going to pry one of these dispensers apart when I've used it up and I'm going to attempt to re-stock with my home-grown hot pepper bits. Speaking of home-grown hot peppers, has anyone a decent technique for drying them in the oven? Or maybe you've got a method for roasting them on a Baby Q. If so, please post it in a comment.