Since commercially ground spices lose their flavor and aroma quickly within six months, many people like to grind their own. As long as spices are whole, you can safely keep them tightly capped in a kitchen cupboard. But when you release their oils by crackling or grinding them, you multiply their surface area at least eight - fold and expose them to their enemy - oxygen. Then the spices belong in the freezer. (That's why ground coffee belongs in the freezer, too.)

If your serious enough about the subject to keep a special coffee mill for spice grinding, and if you blend your own curry seasonings from whole spices, be sure to keep the leftover mixture and the partially used spices in the freezer. If you cooking style embraces one of the newest commercially available spices, green peppercorns, keep them in your freezer as well. Green peppercorns are highly perishable immature peppercorns. Even if you by them packed in brine, you should expect green peppercorns to spoil. Either freeze them on a cookie sheet, collect them in a jar and keep them in the freezer, or add them to butter and freeze them.

There's one category of spices that belong in the refrigerator or the freezer for reason's of safety, as well as for flavor retention. Red spices, including red pepper, chili powder, all the paprikas and cayenne pepper contain insect eggs in their tissues, even after they've been ground up. When the temperature and the humidity are high, worms can grow.

Harvesting Herbs for the Freezer - Harvesting herbs for the freezer is fun. Wait for a time when you can work without interruption, harvesting and freezing in a single burst of sustained activity. Their flavor will last longer if your herbs go fresh-picked into the freezer. If you can, seize a moment early in the morning just after the dew has dried. Wet herbs are tricky to handle, and the more you inadvertently crush them during harvesting, the more surface area you expose to the air. If the sun has not yet gotten to the herbs, better still.

Lucky you if you are harvesting herbs that only gardeners have access to because they are not generally available commercially. You will be able to enjoy the special flavors of lemon thyme or apple mint all winter long. You can hold your herbs, whether they are rare or commonplace, for six months or more in the freezer. Take your herbs into the kitchen and get to work. If you're sure that they are free of soil, sprays and insects, you don't need to wash them, but I do recommend washing just as a precaution. You can run the under tap water and shake off the excess. Pat them dry between towels or spin them gently in a salad spinner.