November 3, 2010 - 9:22am
Try a coffee mill to grind spices
Borrowed from the Food Network's Alton Brown: A coffee grinder does a nice job powderizing whole spices.
I had bought cinnamon sticks a few weeks back with no clue as to how I'd grind them. I tried a cheese grater with no success; I put the stick back in its jar, bought some ground cinnamon and left it at that.
Yesterday, after seeing chef Brown in action Monday night, I took out my long-dormant Starbucks mill and dropped a couple of sticks in it. A few pulses later, I was savoring the richest, punchiest, most vibrant cinnamon I've ever enjoyed a noseful of.
Try grinding your own. You'll like it too.