Purchasing spices

I buy nearly all of my spices from a small store in Galena, IL. All the spices are pre-packaged generously in small ziploc bags. The prices are per ounce and everything is under five dollars, most basics around 1-2 dollars a bag.

Unfortunately, I'm running of things and have not gotten to Galena in months.

Can anyone tell me about a spice store I've heard of in Evanston, or any other Chicago metro area place with reasonable prices on good spices?

The Great Galena Peddlery
116 N. Main, Galena IL 61036
815-777-2307
http://www.galenapeddlery.com/index.html

I have always used mail order as I do not like to run across town to pick up spices or any other food ingredient. Penzeys.com does a nice job and the spices are very reasonable.

They have stores in the Chicago area. One is on the main drag through Oak Park. Personally, I have never understand why the company is opening stores and taking on all that overhead of having brick and mortar stores, especially as they do NOT do any demos or anything like that.

Penzey's has a web site:
http://www.penzeys.com/cgi-bin/penzeys/shophome.html
which lists and describes a wide variety of spices that you can order electronically. The web site also give the addresses for stores in Oak Park and Naperville--as well as a lot of more distant plasces.
Jane

The Evanston spice shop is The Spice House, also on Wells, and often mentioned on LTH. Their products are of the highest quality and their prices are not unreasonable. You will not find a spice shop with more knowlegeable or friendly owners than Mr & Mrs Erd of The Spice House.

The Spice House
http://www.thespicehouse.com

1941 Central Street
Evanston, Illinois 60201 USA

Phone: 847 328-3711
Fax: 847 328-3631

Hours:
M-F 9:00 a.m.-6:30 p.m.
Saturday 10:00 a.m-5:00 p.m.
Sunday 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

Best,
EC

Yep, the spice house is truly a wonderful place. Tom and Patty are great people, with even better spices and seasonings and herbs and such. Really highly recommended.

-ed

Patty & the Spice House were recently featured on a episode of Good Eats about fruitcake. You can't get any higher recommendation than Alton Brown! I think their prices are good and their committment to quality shows in everything they do.

For a more "bargain basement" store, try the Home Economist. I can't vouch for everything as super-fresh; I think some things go quicker than others. However, many of the Russian/Euro population in the area come here for spices and herbs, and I often pick up basics like tomato powder, garlic powder, dried onions, etc. Their prices are very low. They also have a wide selection of penny-candy, so be careful if you bring your kids there!

The Home Economist
(847) 674-7252
9159 Gross Point Rd (Church & Gross Point)
Skokie, IL 60077

If you wander further north, Lets spice it up in highwood has a good selection at reasonable prices. It is not quite as top-shelf as spice house, and you wont be able to choose among 12 different types of marjoram, but I buy most of my dried herbs and spices there. Jane (who some of you may know from her truck at the maxwell st and other markets) makes some blends that i like alot, including a CaJane seasoning and an "all-purpose, zippy" seasoning. She also carries roasted garlic powder (as does spice house) that I use all the time.
-Will

For the past couple years I've been making the Alton Brown fruitcake with goods collected from The Spice House. It's wonderful. I've made loafs and muffins. It's almost like chewy booze... sublime.