McCormick Grinders

[jennyema]

No. I don't grind salt. As Jen said, I buy it the size I want. I've never used a peppermill to grind herbs, they're usually fresh. I have a coffee mill I use to grind spices.

I'm with Andy. I have a coffee grinder and a mortar and pestle for grinding herbs and spices.

 

[keltin]

Jennyemma,

Why would anyone buy a sea salt grinder? The same reason anyone would buy fine china......they want it. It’s not required, but you enjoy it. Why would anyone own a grill? It’s not required......but people like them. Why even cook? You can buy pre-made food the same as you can buy pre-ground salt.

If you buy a pepper blend that is already ground, aren’t you compromising that which you own a grinder for in the first place which is the superior flavor of freshly ground? Pre-ground spices aren’t nearly as aromatic and flavorful as freshly ground.

The point of recycling is to reclaim waste material for use in new (and different) products. Recycling is a good thing. But if you don’t like recycled items, that’s fine. We all have our different POVs. I don’t like wasting money on fancy grinding mills that may or may not work as well as I want them to work. I’ve had four different kinds in the past, all but one was over 20 dollars in price (but less than 30), and none of them really “floated my boat”. After using pre-ground spices for years, it is nice that McCormick came out with the grinders so that cooks everywhere can experiment with fresh ground spices without having to buy overpriced rigs that may or may not be to your liking.

I’m not sure what type of black peppercorn McCormick is using (the pinks are Brazilian peppercorns), but I’ve tried Tellicherry freshly ground and McCormick black peppercorns freshly ground on both grilled burgers and steaks on the same night. They tasted the same to me.

But speaking of disposable items, do you not use any? What about paper plates or paper cups for picnics and outdoor gatherings. Disposable razors for shaving? Disposable paper towels in the kitchen? Disposable Kleenex tissue? Do you avoid all disposable items?

 

[krichardson]

I use the McCormick sea salt grinder and I love it! Other people have suggested using salt in the size you want it. But I love that I get a nice corse grind or smaller out of one bottle.

 

[keltin]

I use the McCormick sea salt grinder and I love it! Other people have suggested using salt in the size you want it. But I love that I get a nice corse grind or smaller out of one bottle.

It is fun isn’t it!

And that’s what cooking is supposed to be all about right....enjoy yourself while also making delicious meals. At least, that was my take on it.

 

[jennyema]

I think you are going sort of overboard here, unfortunately.

I think Penzey's is a far better quality product. I wouldn't buy McCormack peppercorns. I don't like using disposable products when I consider them entirely unnecessary. I'd take one of the McCormack's camping or to a rental house or something but they serve no purpose in my own home.

It's my opinion that a salt grinder is useless. Pepper grinders release the taste of peppercorns. Salt grinders do not.

Obviously you disagree. That's your right.

But this is nothing to get worked up over

 

[TATTRAT]

I buy them once a year to take on vacation.

Great idea!

 

[GB]

I have used them and think they are fine for what they are. I find a huge difference between Penzyz peppercorns and McCormack peppercorns though. I would happily pay much more for a better product, especially one as important as pepper.

A lot of restaurants have the McCormack peppercorn grinders on the table now and I think that is great. It is 1000x better than the pre-ground grey pepper dust that places used to have.

As for salt grinders, the majority of the people who get them do so because they think they are getting a better salt taste from grinding their own. This is simply not true.

 

[keltin]

I like the salt grinder because it is fun. But there are far more “legitimate” reasons for it. For instance, you can buy coarse salt such as Pure Ocean, New Zealand Natural, or even coarse organic salt such as Le Tresor. Its large crystals and low moisture content keep it from caking and thus no additives are needed. The coarse crystals can be used in both a grinder and for salt crusts (no need for two salt products). Then again, you can just buy two boxes of salt, one coarse and one fine......just depends on what you want.

It’s odd what people decide to spend their money on. I’m not quite so picky (and am rather frugal) with a lot of kitchen toys. Computers (and electronics in general) on the other hand are a different story. I’d never buy an Intel Celeron, or even a CPU that had less than 1MB L2 cache and was hyperthreading enabled. Naturally, this excludes most mass produced PCs like a prefab Dell desktop (and what a ghastly way to buy a PC) or Gateway’s horrible e-Machines. And never even consider integrated graphics! Why they came up with that atrocious idea is beyond me. And dial-up for the internet, I can’t tolerate it. Cable Modem is the way to go......but I’ll take a McCormick’s grinder over a Williams Sonoma rig any day (if I’m doing the buying that is).

 

[Andy M.]

...The point of recycling is to reclaim waste material for use in new (and different) products. Recycling is a good thing. But if you don’t like recycled items, that’s fine. We all have our different POVs...

Can we assume from this position that you eat off paper plates with plastic utensils? Do you use paper towels in place of bath towels?

Not having to recycle items because you repeatedly reuse them is the preferred and, ultimately less costly alternative. It costs money and energy to recycle.

 

[keltin]

Can we assume from this position that you eat off paper plates with plastic utensils? Do you use paper towels in place of bath towels?

Not having to recycle items because you repeatedly reuse them is the preferred and, ultimately less costly alternative. It costs money and energy to recycle.

But recycling is a very effective way of dealing with waste products, especially those that can not be avoided. The plastic clam shells that batteries come in, batteries themselves, cardboard boxes, plastic jugs for vinegar, milk, soda. Paper sacks for flour, corn meal, sugar. Newspapers, magazines, TV Guides, glass bottles from hot sauce or soy, etc. There is so much that can and should be recycled.

Then again, if everyone grew their own peppers and brewed their own vinegar, there would be no bottles from that. Use the internet for news and do away with paper waste from newspapers and magazines. Buy only produce from the Farmer’s Market and never purchase anything in a can. It would really be great to just get away from batteries all together. They are a huge problem due to lead contamination, and account for more than 80% of all lead in consumer electronics today. Everyone could cut down on battery use by not relying so heavily on the remote control, or laptops, iPods, or battery powered flashlights, cordless tools, etc.

 

[GB]

But recycling is a very effective way of dealing with waste products, especially those that can not be avoided.

I think this is key though. Things like paper plates, cups, razors, and pepper mills can be avoided.

 

[keltin]

I think this is key though. Things like paper plates, cups, razors, and pepper mills can be avoided.

As can batteries, plastic jugs, newspapers, magazines, and glass bottles.

 

[jennyema]

Disposable plastic pepper mills, cheese graters and the like that are designed to be thrown away after only a short period of use just seem very gratuitous to me. Very distinguishable from batteries, magazines and glass bottles.

 

[mudbug]

hafta take keltin's side on this a little bit. (thanks for doing all the math, btw) Using "real" plates and towels, etc. requires cleaning/laundering.

There's some energy expended in using a dishwasher, washing machine, dryer, etc.

Not to mention use of water that goes down the drain unless you're an engineer type who's figured out how to rig these appliances to pour the gray water on your plants (which you wouldn't want to do anyway with all the soap residue involved).

I think his main point was about what we are willing to spend our money on.

 

[keltin]

Disposable plastic pepper mills, cheese graters and the like that are designed to be thrown away after only a short period of use just seem very gratuitous to me. Very distinguishable from batteries, magazines and glass bottles.

Actually, glass bottles, batteries, and magazines have a shorter lifespan than the McCormick Grinder. I expect it to last about 2 months or more (more for some of the more exotic blends), but batteries can go out in under a month (depending on the application). You can read a magazine in a day or two. A glass bottle full of soda or beer is good for less than an hour.

I don’t subscribed to many magazines (only 1, and it was a free subscription with a paid anti-virus plan) and I make sure it is properly recycled. I never buy a newspaper since I can get my news online or from the TV. I only use rechargeable batteries which can quadruple (or more) the lifespan of the battery, and I make sure to take the spent rechargeables to a reputable recycling agent that is setup to handle batteries.

Glass and plastic bottles are harder to get around......but I do what I can. For example, there is a local produce farm close buy. There’s an old guy there that makes homemade hot sauce and corn relish. He packs the sauce in glass bottles and the relish in mason jars. He doesn’t apply labels (the label/sign for what the product is hangs on the shelf). He charges 4.00 flat for the relish and 3.00 flat for the sauce. However, if you bring back the empty bottle or jar, and give it to him when you buy more, he will knock 25 cents of the purchase of the new product or give you a free produce item (usually a bell pepper or tomato). He washes , sterilizes, and reuses the bottles and jars. Pretty cool.

And I do use paper plates because there is only two of us, and we aren’t big fans of doing dishes, so disposable plates help on that end. But, again, the paper plates get recycled. In the past, I bought four different mills, a wooden one, a stainless steel one, a glass/crystal one, and a plastic ball type. All of them are gone now because I didn’t like them. I wonder if they got recycled since they were sold in a yard sale.

 

[keltin]

I think his main point was about what we are willing to spend our money on.

In the end, you are exactly right!

Edited to add:

And also, one’s choices in where they spend their money shouldn’t open one up to condescension. I don’t tell people that they are fools for buying an e-Machine from Gateway, or turn my nose up at the person that bought a KVC speaker instead of a Bose, or shriek in horror because someone buys a CRT monitor instead of a flat screen plasma, or faint dead away because someone is still using dial-up.

As we all know, you get what you pay for.....and typically, you pay for what you need or more importantly, what you want. I paid for an inexpensive grinder because I don’t use it that much and I was curious. Turns out, the little McCormick grinder works way better than any of the premium grinders I bought years ago (I guess manufacturing these things has gotten a lot better in the past few years). So, I actually got more than my money’s worth since I didn’t expect a lot out of these little grinders in the first place.

 

[BreezyCooking]

And also, one’s choices in where they spend their money shouldn’t open one up to condescension. I don’t tell people that they are fools for buying an e-Machine from Gateway, or turn my nose up at the person that bought a KVC speaker instead of a Bose, or shriek in horror because someone buys a CRT monitor instead of a flat screen plasma, or faint dead away because someone is still using dial-up.

Oddly enough though, your previous posts do sound like you're doing just that. The fact that you even bring the above up makes it sound that even though you might not voice the above, you're dying to & feel that way. Otherwise, why even mention them??

And even mentioning that they should be pleased you're not taking them to task for not buying Bose speakers or a plasma screen? You're some piece of work Keltin. You must be a true friend &/or a real joy to have at a party. Makes me nostalgic for the good old days working in finance in Manhattan. Do you watch "Mad Men" on AMC? You'd love it.

So glad you're happy with your inexpensive pepper grinder. Now I'll be able to sleep well tonight.

 

[keltin]

Oddly enough though, your previous posts do sound like you're doing just that. The fact that you even bring the above up makes it sound that even though you might not voice the above, you're dying to & feel that way. Otherwise, why even mention them??

And even mentioning that they should be pleased you're not taking them to task for not buying Bose speakers or a plasma screen? You're some piece of work Keltin. You must be a true friend &/or a real joy to have at a party. Makes me nostalgic for the good old days working in finance in Manhattan. Do you watch "Mad Men" on AMC? You'd love it.

So glad you're happy with your inexpensive pepper grinder. Now I'll be able to sleep well tonight.

Not at all. I mention these things because understanding is often facilitated through example. It’s easy for some to get settled into a way of thinking and assume that way is right......for everyone. Then, it’s only a slip of the tongue (or was it intentional) that easily hurts another.

Some people believe that the golden rule is “Do unto others as you would have done unto you”. But what if you meet a masochists or sadist? I don’t want them doing to me what they enjoy.

I prefer the rule of “get what you give”. And you seem a bit upset about my theoretical remarks concerning the purchase of the higher quality electronics, yet remain silent when others advocated buying a higher quality grinder. Why is that?

 

[BreezyCooking]

And what exactly do high-end electronics & pepper grinders have in common?

And "Get what you give" & "understanding facilitated through example" ????? You just sound like a big-time snob to me.

 

[keltin]

And what exactly do high-end electronics & pepper grinders have in common?

And "Get what you give" & "understanding facilitated through example" ????? You just sound like a big-time snob to me.

Whether you buy expensive grinders or expensive electronics, it is YOUR choice. That’s the commonality. Should you be chastised for that choice?

And actually, the whole reason I even concocted the “examples” of electronics is because of the rampant “food snobbism” that I see regularly.

Mention that you shop at Wal-Mart, and you get blasted with long diatribes about how no self-respecting cook would ever buy meat, produce etc. from a large ugly box like that.

Use the wrong ingredient or cooking term and you’re likely to be confronted with an onslaught of condescending remarks about how a parakeet could cook better.

Eat at McDonalds and you’ll face post after post of how only a fool would submit themselves to such torture.

By a cheap McCormick’s grinder, and you get told you’re fool that got parted from his money.

It’s pure snobbery where the dealers are “in the right” and own the expensive item or cook the proper way.

However, look how quickly tempers flare when someone gets caught on the short end of the snob scale. Its’ not a fun feeling is it....and that is why I did it.