Looking for the perfect gourmet gift to give this season? Try introducing our classic and specialty teas to your friends and family! Check out our wide array of tea samplers below and don’t miss our Limited Edition Holiday Teas! Here while supplies last…
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The Black Tea Sampler
Three of our popular black teas bundled together to create a fabulous sample pack. Enjoy the rich and malty flavor of International Breakfast Tea; savor the creamy and citrus flavors in Earl Grey Crème; and indulge in the hazelnut flavors of Hazelnut Cookie. Includes: International Breakfast (1 oz), Earl Grey Crème (1 oz), and Hazelnut Cookie (1 oz).
SEE ONLINE
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The Green Tea Sampler
Try three of our delicious green teas! Marrakesh Mint gets its cool and refreshing flavor from mountain peppermint; jasmine buds give Mountain Jasmine a gentle perfume-like flavor; and Mystic Dragon has notes of wild strawberry and rhubarb. Includes: Marrakesh Mint (1 oz), Mountain Jasmine (1 oz), and Mystic Dragon (1 oz).
SEE ONLINE
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The Herbal Tea Sampler
Herbal teas are delicious hot or iced and these are no exception. Berry Bouquet is rich with berries and flowers; Bonita Peach is a green rooibos flavored with summer fruits and flowers; and Cinnamon Plum boasts the warm flavors of currants, hibiscus and hints of plum. Includes: Berry Bouquet (1.5 oz), Bonita Peach Rooibos (1 oz), and Cinnamon Plum (1 oz).
SEE ONLINE
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The Combo Tea Sampler
We’ve bundled together three wonderful teas for your enjoyment. Savor the flavors of apple, cranberry and hibiscus in the herbal Cranberry Apple Tart; brew a cup of Jade Cloud for a smooth and mellow tasting green tea; and enjoy the delicious combination of pears and caramel combined with Ceylon and China black teas in Pear Caramel. Includes: Cranberry Apple Tart (1 oz), Jade Cloud (1 oz), and Pear Caramel (1 oz).
SEE ONLINE 

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The Holiday Tea Pack
Perfect for an introduction to loose leaf teas! Soft, warm flavors our Hazelnut Cookie Tea are accentuated with the addition of dark cocoa sugar. This perfect example of tea pairing also includes the essentials for brewing and storage. In a holiday gift box we have assembled: Tea Storage Tin (Copper), Hazelnut Cookie Tea (1 oz), Dark Cocoa Sugar (1.5 oz), a Mesh Scissor Infuser, and an Amber Sugar Stick.
SEE ONLINE
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You can find all of these products on our website: www.spiceandtea.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
December 6, 2013

CONTACT:
Libby Breivogel
The Spice & Tea Exchange®
(727) 422-0309, l.breivogel@spiceandtea.com

The Spice & Tea Exchange® Brings Exciting New Flavor to Red Bank, N.J.

Red Bank, NJ – December 6, 2013– Find Your Way to Flavor™ this holiday season at The Spice & Tea Exchange®; opening Dec. 13, 2013 in the heart of Red Bank, N.J.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® is Red Bank’s newest gourmet retailer; offering food lovers, professional chefs, and tea enthusiasts a gourmet shopping experience filled with unique gifts and culinary delights. Guests are encouraged to “Come In and Smell The Spices®” and discover their inner chef as they browse the rustic product displays of an Old 18^th Century Trading Post. Spice Masters (educated spice and tea professionals) inspire creativity as they hand-mix spice blends in-store, while guests let their curiosity guide them through the sights, smells and tastes of The Spice & Tea Exchange®.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® offers an abundance of products to choose from, with more than 120 fresh spices, over 70 exclusive hand-mixed blends, 12 naturally-flavored sugars, 24 salts from around the world, and more than 30 exotic teas. The store also offers recipes, gift boxes and accessories to complement spice and tea selections.

Merchants Howard Bernstein and Lisa Prepon are excited to be able to bring a new kind of shopping experience to Monmouth County. After searching for the perfect business opportunity, Howard and Lisa found their passion in The Spice & Tea Exchange®. “The enthusiasm [at The Spice & Tea Exchange®] was contagious…” stated Prepon. “[Now] we are most excited about opening our own business and seeing it grow.”

The city of Red Bank is a bustling borough on the banks of Monmouth County’s Navesink River; a perfect landing place for a gourmet food store. “Red Bank bills itself A Cool Little Town,” stated Bernstein, and this Cool Little Town boasts hundreds of local retailers, restaurants, theaters and local events which draw shoppers to the city’s streets.  Throughout the year, Red Bank visitors can enjoy Jazz and Blues Festivals, Farmers Markets, and annual events such as the Red Bank Bridal Walk.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Red Bank is located at 12 Monmouth Street, just moments away from the Navesink River and Riverside Gardens Park. Visit the store during this holiday season for exclusive gourmet gifts and extended shopping hours.

The Spice & Tea Exchange® of Red Bank
M: 12 Monmouth Street, Red Bank, NJ 07701
P: 732-741-3590
H: Monday – Thursday, 10a.m. – 6p.m.
Friday, 10a.m. – 9p.m.
Saturday, 10a.m. – 6p.m.
Sunday, 11a.m. – 3p.m. (Hours subject to change)
www.spiceandtea.com/redbank

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As you look to your recipe book this Holiday for some classic side dishes, consider a twist on an old tradition! Check out these two The Spice & Tea Exchange® harvest dishes- full of warmth and flavor to delight your guests!

Try these decadent recipes and learn more at spiceandtea.com/recipes or here on our TSTE blog! Let us know what you think…

Gingered Cinnamon Crescent Rolls

Introducing two NEW gourmet grains- perfect for your gatherings this holiday season! Both blends have earthy and unique flavors that are sure to bring depth to your classic side dishes…

Learn more about them below and online at www.spiceandtea.com.

Woodsman’s Rice Blend

The robust and nutty flavors of this mix make a great accompaniment to both meat and salmon dishes. Also makes for a hearty addition to soups and stews.
>SEE PRODUCT

Garden Harvest Orzo

Toasted orzo and the natural garden flavors of tomato, spinach, and mushroom orzos are combined in this wonderful medley. Add earthy depth to your risottos, casseroles, and pasta salads!
>SEE PRODUCT

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Looking for a way to spruce up your classic casserole dishes? Simply substitute one of these grains for a burst of autumn flavor!

Happy Harvest!

- The Spice & Tea Exchange

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At The Spice & Tea Exchange®, we believe in the power of T.E.A.M.WORK! Together, everyone achieves more.

The Spice & Tea Exchange Corporate Team!

October is all about AWARENESS. According to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation, One in EIGHT women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

Many of our employees have had first hand experience with loved ones who have battled or are battling breast cancer, and we wanted to express our support- in the most TSTE® way possible! With a PINK OUT!

As a cancer patient, it is so important to start strong and FINISH STRONG. Your support and strength in their time of need goes a long way. So, choose to show your support through strength in numbers!

Educate your peers and encourage those around you to get screened for breast cancer (yes…you men as well). Then, make people aware that YOU are there to support them! Your support can make all the difference.

How have you showed your support this month? We would love to hear your stories here. Feel free to drop us a line…

And check out the rest of our PINK OUT photos at www.facebook.com/spiceandtea!

Fall in love with this autumn favorite! With a twist of TSTE®, these Pumpkin Spice Cookies are bound to get people talking…

TSTE® Pumpkin Spice Cookies

Cookies:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. TSTE® Baker’s Blend
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tsp. TSTE® Madagascar Vanilla Extract

Frosting:
2 cups confectioners sugar
3 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. melted butter
1 tsp. TSTE® Madagascar Vanilla Extract

Preheat oven to 350° F. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, TSTE® Baker’s Blend and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup of butter and white sugar. Add pumpkin, egg, and 1 tsp. TSTE® Madagascar Vanilla Extract to butter mixture, beat until creamy. Mix in dry ingredients.

Drop on ungreased cookie sheet by the tablespoonful. Flatten slightly. Bake for 15 to 20 mins. Cool cookies, then drizzle glaze with fork.

To Make Glaze: Combine confectioners’ sugar, milk, 1 TBS melted butter and TSTE® Madagascar Vanilla Extract . Add milk as needed, to achieve drizzling consistency.

Happy Baking!

When you think about tea in America, what comes to mind?…

Most likely, you’re not thinking about hand-picked Camellia Sinensis, dried and oxidized to perfection. You probably pictured the grocery store aisle with boxes of tea bags, that untouched box of tea you received as a gift ages ago, or the tea latte you get at your favorite coffee shop. Am I right?

When it comes to choosing between tea bags and fresh-harvested loose leaf tea, what factors influence you most? The convenience? The amount of time it takes to brew? The mess it makes?

There is a history behind how the two came to compete with one another, and all teas are not created equal. So, keep on reading…

Did you know?

The first tea bag was an accident! Tea bags were never actually intended to be used, but rather, were invented as a way to export and ship tea. Back in the day, tins were used to transport tea. However, the use of tins came at a high price.

New York City merchant Thomas Sullivan, being the entrepreneur that he was, decided to ship his tea in small hand-sewn silk bags to lower the costs of shipping. His business clients, confused and curious about the way he had sent the tea, threw the tea into their hot water- silk bag and all!

While customers began to rave about the convenience of the tea bag, new ways to bag tea began to appear. The bags were convenient, less messy, and shipped at a lower cost.

So what’s not to love?

In all of this, two very important tea steeping factors were forgotten: the size of the tea leaf and the amount of space it has to unfurl.

Tea leaves take up a large amount of space in a tea infuser or steeper. During the tea steeping process, tea leafs “unfurl” and release their flavors, essential oils, and even caffeine into the water. This process, which is often called “swelling,” allows the leaves to unfurl and circulate in the cup, extracting the most flavor from the leaf. Well made tea steepers and infusers are designed to allow tea to unfurl properly.

In order to fit tea into a tea bag, tea leaves must be chopped, crushed, or broken in order to keep them as small as possible. This inevitably causes the tea to break down before the steeping process begins, therefore resulting in a less flavorful tea leaf. Flavors are often added back into the tea leaves after they have been processed in this manner.

“Fannings” or “Dusts,” are also used to fill tea bags. These small tea leaf particles are be found at the bottom of a tea barrel or the bottom of a tea bed (where tea leaves are dried). Once the larger tea leaves have been gathered, these fannings are collected and kept for tea bag use.

While fannings are still tea leaves, their size greatly diminishes the amount of flavor that can be extracted from them during steeping.

The size and make of the tea bag also directly affects the steeping of the tea. Thankfully, many tea companies are beginning to produce larger tea bags to house their tea leaves. However, many still exist with little-to-no room for the small tea leaves to unfurl and swell.

Tea bags of late are also made with paper rather than silk. Paper is an easier accommodation, however, this cheaper alternative doesn’t allow the water to order cialis flow as freely through the bag.

So, tea bags have become the standard for brewing tea in America…but what’s the trade off when it comes to flavor?

Join the Tea-volution!

The Spice & Tea Exchange® is dedicated to restoring flavor to your tea routine! We love the nuances of flavor found in natural tea leaves and the aromas that stimulate your senses with each fresh cup of tea. Because of this, we are continually delighted to provide you with our finest teas and proprietary tea blends.

We hope that this article has given you cause to revolutionize the way you brew a cup of tea!

Afraid of the fresh tea commitment? We make brewing easy, with steeping instructions for the perfect cup on all of our packaging and infusers to help you get started in the steeping process. Check out our loose leaf teas, infusers, and fun tea accessories to get started.

And we’d love to hear from you…Drop us a line and let us know what you think!

Steep Happy!

The Spice & Tea Exchange®

Resources: Adagio Teas, Natures Tea Leaf, Livestrong

It’s almost time for the kids to go back to school! Kick off your relaxing Labor Day weekend with a classy barbecue party from The Spice and Tea Exchange®…Start off with healthy veggies & dip and a unique tropical salsa with chips, satisfy your hunger with flavorful sliders and black truffle fries, and finish with a sweet and relaxing white chocolate martini!

Chips and Mango Salsa

1 ripe mango
1 tomato
1 bell pepper (orange or yellow)
¼ cup red onion
½ jalapeño pepper
½ tsp TSTE® Minced Garlic
1 TBS TSTE® Cilantro
¼ tsp TSTE® Habanero Sugar
(est ½ tsp) TSTE® Florida Sunshine

Chop and dice all ingredients; combine in non-metal bowl. Refrigerate for at least one hour to allow flavors to blend, but can be used immediately. This is a wonderful salsa to serve over grilled or baked fish such as mahi mahi or swordfish (brushed with olive oil & lightly seasoned with TSTE® Florida Sunshine). For this party, we think it makes a fabulous appetizer served with tortilla chips! Makes 3 cups.

Beau Monde Veggie Dip

1 – 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
½ tsp TSTE® Beau Monde Seasoning
2 – 3 TBS whole milk or half-and-half (can substitute soy, almond buy cialis uk or rice milk if desired)
1/3 cup white onion, minced

Place cream cheese and TSTE® Beau Monde Seasoning in a small mixing bowl. Use a hand mixer to beat ingredients together, adding 1 TBS of milk at a time until dip achieves desired consistency. Add in minced white onion and stir by hand. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve with chips or fresh vegetables including baby carrots, cucumber slices, radishes, celery sticks, broccoli or cauliflower florets, cherry tomatoes, and black or green olives.

TSTE® BBQ Sliders

1 TBS TSTE® Tailgater’s Blend, 1 TBS TSTE® Smoked BBQ Rub, or 1 TBS TSTE® Sweet Heat (choose one)
1 package mini slider buns
32 oz ground beef

Preheat the grill on medium-high. Divide the ground beef into three or four (depending on the desired amount/thickness of sliders). Roll each into a ball and then press into a patty. Season the outside in your favorite TSTE® blend; see the ingredients list for some great suggestions! Grill until one side is brown in color (about 4-5 minutes), then flip and cook (about 4-5 minutes) until done. Top with cheese, lettuce, tomato, and more blend if desired! Makes about 6-8 sliders.

Black Truffle Fries

2 tsp TSTE® Black Truffle Salt
8 oz package shredded parmesan cheese
28 oz package frozen fries (thickness of choice)
2 TBS TSTE® Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat the oven according to the information on the bag of fries. Bake. Remove from oven and drizzle olive oil evenly over fries. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and TSTE® Black Truffle Salt. Bake for one more minute, then serve hot.

White Chocolate Martini

1 ½ oz TSTE® Chocolate Sea Salt
1 ½ oz chocolate flavored vodka
½ oz white chocolate liquor
½ oz crème de cacao
½ tsp TSTE® Strawberry Sugar
½ oz heavy cream
Chocolate syrup (garnish)
Chocolate covered strawberry (garnish)

Crush TSTE® Chocolate Sea Salt and place in a shallow dish or saucer. Wet rim of glass with lime wedge and dip glass into TSTE® Chocolate Sea Salt to coat. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway full of ice cubes. Add vodka, chocolate liquor, crème de cacao, a dash of  TSTE® Strawberry Sugar, and cream. Shake well. Strain into a martini glass. Swirl chocolate spiral inside the glass before straining the martini into the glass. Garnish with a chocolate covered strawberry.

Enjoy your relaxing Labor Day weekend and be sure to visit www.spiceandtea.com for more ideas!

This month, we’re celebrating the 5th Anniversary of The Spice & Tea Exchange® by giving away a FREE TSTE® Signature Blend Shaker!

We love this blend for more than just the fact that it’s our “signature.” It is our finest all-purpose blend, and one of the original TSTE® Blends cheapest online propecia created by our founder Clay Freeman. This robust seasoning is made for absolutely everything, including: meats, vegetables, soups, eggs, and sandwiches! Believe us when we say…our TSTE® Signature Blend Shaker gets quite the workout in our TSTE® Kitchen!

Ingredients include St. Augustine’s own Datil Pepper, salt, garlic, bell peppers, celery, fresh pepper, horseradish, paprika, chives, onion and tomato powder.

So…What’s Your Signature Dish?

Give us your best TSTE® Signature Blend recipe or idea in the comment box below for a chance to win a FREE TSTE® Signature Blend Shaker!

All participants will be entered into a drawing to win a free shaker. Winner will be drawn on August 29, 2013 and will be contacted by The Spice & Tea Exchange® via email.

DID YOU KNOW…That while there are many flavors of tea, all teas stem from the same plant? That’s right! I am an avid tea drinker, and have been for years. However, I never ventured to truly study the history of tea until I joined The Spice & Tea Exchange®. So, here’s a little lesson to entertain all of you tea connoisseurs and beginners out there…let’s see which category you fall into!

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Teas: Camellia Sinensis

Black, green, white, and oolong teas all come from the plant Camellia Sinensis. What sets them apart from one another is their exposure to oxygen during processing. The more that the tea leaves are exposed to oxygen, the darker and bolder the tea gets. Black teas are the result of tea leaves being exposed to large amounts of oxygen, while green teas are exposed to significantly less.

As Eastern exporters began to send teas cross-continent, they realized that green tea lost its flavor far too quickly (Remember, back then teas traveled by camel, donkey, horse and cart, or what have you…). Oxidation became the standard for transporting teas from East to West, and to this day black tea is still considered the most popular tea by Westerners for that reason.

Oolongs are “semi-fermented” and fall somewhere between green and black teas, while white teas are the least-processed and rarest form.

Flavored versions of black, green, oolong, and white teas began to appear as tea producers realized that the combination of natural oils and tea leaves enhanced and replicated popular flavors. Now, with artificial flavoring, the possibilities are endless.

Tisanes: Plants, Fruits, Herbs & Spices

Tisanes are commonly mistaken or referred to as “teas,” but are actually herbs, plants, spices, or fruits infused with boiling water. Though they are also “brewed,” they lack the definitive Camellia Sinensis leaves found in “tea.”

The earliest appearances of tisanes were found in ancient civilizations where herbs and cialis soft tabs quick delivery, no prescription plants were infused with water for medicinal purposes. For example, the Chamomile flower— which is commonly used today for its calming properties— was originally used in Ancient Egypt for healing. Recently, tisanes have been popularized by American culture as health-conscious individuals turn to these natural brews for refreshment.

Tisanes are also known for being a caffeine-free alternative to bolder black teas, green teas and coffee. However, even though they lack caffeine, they still pack a punch of flavor. Rooibos tea, or the “red tea,” was introduced for its caffeine-free benefits and bold flavor as a substitute to black teas in the 20^th Century. Depending on the infusions, herbal, plant, and fruit-based tisanes are an excellent replacement for classic teas. With generous flavor and sweet nuances, drinkers get the enjoyment of drinking a “tea,” without the caffeine addiction. (Here you go Ladies! Kick your pregnancy caffeine cravings to the curb!)

Between Teas and Tisanes, the flavors are endless.

Many of our teas at The Spice & Tea Exchange® actually combine the two! We strive to provide you one-of-a-kind teas with bold, refreshing flavors. And while we won’t force you choose between the two, we encourage you to taste and test all of the alternatives as you search for your perfect cup!

So, now that you know the difference…are you a Tea or a Tisane?  Give us your feedback…

References: Cason, Chris. A Guide to Tea. Adagio Teas, 2012. Paperback.

The Spice & Tea Exchange is thrilled to introduce TWO new teas this month…

Genmaicha

This exotic tea is known for its “popcorn” look and nutty notes. Our Genmaicha is a blend of brown rice and green sencha tea. The rice mellows this typically grassy tea; resulting in a sweet, light-bodied cup with a slightly roasted flavor.

Golden Assam

Assam teas are known for their bold flavor, and deep, bright colors. Grown in the Assam region of India, our distinctive Golden Assam is produced from the high quality second flush period, and contains a large proportion of beautiful golden tips. Assam teas make great breakfast teas and contain just enough caffeine to get your day started! This tea rx cialis offers a rich, spicy, and malty character that is also great with milk added.

Weekly In August

TSTE® Cincinnati – EVERY Sunday – Can’t make up your mind of what tea to get? Try it before you buy it every Sunday from 1-4pm

TSTE® Bentonville – Every Saturday – We’re continuing our chef grilling demonstrations in front of the store every Saturday during Farmer’s Market from about 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

TSTE® Williamsburg – Daily – We will be serving samples of various teas and Habanero Lemonade

Event Dates

August 2^nd – TSTE® Bentonville – Downtown Bentonville First Friday Back to School Event
TSTE will have specials and buying amoxicillin online tasty samples from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.

August 15^th, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm – TSTE® Bentonville’s Around the Bloc Art Walk
Located in Downtown Bentonville. Artists, musicians and food vendors will set up all over downtown.  TSTE^® will be grilling appetizers in front of the store!  A great evening for socializing and exploring Downtown Bentonville!

August 21^st to Sept. 11^th –TSTE® Williamsburg – Back To School Special!
As the new school year begins, so does the fall & winter cooking season. Start fresh! Purchase any spice container at regular price and we’ll fill it for you for FREE!! Yes, you read it correctly – buy any container over $7.95, and you choose how it will get filled. Not valid with any other promotions or offers.

Kebabs, or shish kebabs, have existed for centuries as an easy cooking method for meats, vegetables, fruits, and common roasting items. The history of kebabs can be traced back to Asian and African nations. Originating as a hunter-gatherer method of roasting meats buy cialis super active over a fire, the Turkish term shish kebab, literally brings “roasted meat” and “skewer” together.

Due to their popularity in Asia and the Middle-East, the most popular versions include beef and lamb. Meats are commonly marinated in oils or wine and then roasted until thoroughly cooked; either suspended above the fire or placed on a grilling surface.

Over the years, kebabs have become a popular go-to for backyard cookouts and quick, yet flavorful meals.

At The Spice & Tea Exchange®, we’re all about flavor! Our TSTE® Blends and Rubs provide you with an easy way to kick up your kebabs with little-to-no effort. Whether you choose to marinate your meat prior to grilling, create a wet-rub for basting, or dry rub your kebabs, our TSTE® Blends infuse bold flavors into your meats!

Here, we’ve provided a few ideas to get you started. The best part about kebabs is that you can experiment with flavors, meat and vegetable combinations, and even fruits and other obscure foods!

Don’t be afraid to try a few different combinations. You’ll impress your guests and have fun sampling and enjoying the various flavors.

Turn up the Heat:
TSTE® Sweet Heat Blend 
TSTE® Crazy Chicken Blend 
TSTE® Jamaican Jerk Blend 

The Perfect Barbeque Flavor:
TSTE® Backwoods Hickory Rub
TSTE® Tailgater’s Blend

A Hint of Smoke:
TSTE® Cinnabar Smoke Blend
TSTE® Smoked BBQ Rub

Keep it Classic:
TSTE® Butcher’s Rub
TSTE® Signature Blend

Stay Cool:
TSTE® Coastal Blend
TSTE® California Blend

For more flavors, cultural blends, and exotic rubs, visit us on the web!

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Try This Recipe:

Ingredients:

1–1½ lbs Chicken, Pork or Beef (top sirloin steak or other cut)
¼ cup olive oil, as needed
Your favorite TSTE® Blend or Rub (see recommendations above)

Preparation:

If using wood skewers, soak in cold water at least 30 minutes before using.

Rinse meat thoroughly. Cut into ½ inch pieces and set aside. Slice preferred vegetables into ½ inch pieces and slide meat and vegetables alternately onto skewers. Lightly brush meat with olive oil and rub with spice, before grilling.

Preheat your grill to high heat. Grill on high heat, turning occasionally, 8-10 minutes for beef, 10-12 for chicken & pork, or until meat is cooked thoroughly (cut into largest piece to check for doneness).

Remove from grill and let rest 5 minutes. Serve on skewers for a beautiful presentation or remove from skewers and serve on a platter.

For recipes, products, gifts, accessories, and more, visit www.SpiceandTea.com!

A Himalayan Salt Block has almost limitless uses in any kitchen, but it is most often used as a cooking vessel or an organic platter for displaying and serving food. Salt Blocks, or “Platters” can come in many different shapes and sizes, much like a cutting board, and each use imparts a delicate salt flavor to the foods that come in contact with the platter. (available in TSTE® stores)

The best part? Salt does not hoard bacterias and never loses its flavor. To clean, simply rinse well and pat dry.

While hot applications and uses are common, we’ve decided to go the cold route for summer. Pop that salt block into your freezer overnight, and you’ve got yourself a frozen slab of flavoring possibilities! Below, you’ll find several tea ice cream recipes to get you started:

Featured this Month: Tea-licious Ice Cream on a Salt Platter

TSTE® custom teas infuse into rich ice cream while hand-mixing on an elegant TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter enhances subtle flavors! Click Here to get the recipe and/or ingredients to help you get started!

Pick your favorite from our featured recipe or try them all!

(See Gourmet Mix-In Ideas Below!)

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How To Mix Gourmet Ice Cream on a Salt Platter:

We start here with some of our favorite black and fruit based teas, add in our favorite candies, fruits or other toppings, then mix it all up right on the frozen salt slab.  It’s gourmet creamery ice cream mixed right in your own home!  What could be more fun or satisfying on a hot summer day?

Some of our favorite cold salt plank ice cream combos include:

- TSTE® Black Chocolate tea and Raspberry/Chocolate

- TSTE® Blueberry Black tea and blueberries and lemon zest, finish with TSTE® Lemon Sugar

- TSTE® Pear Caramel tea and Granola Mix

- TSTE® Hazelnut Cookie tea and any chocolate covered nuts

- TSTE® Mint Chilla Chai Nilla tea with peppermint patties, vanilla wafers

- TSTE® Pear Caramel tea with chocolate covered caramels (like Rolos®), finish with TSTE® Salted Caramel Sugar

- TSTE® Blood Orange Smoothie tea with vanilla cream cookies

- TSTE® Bonita Peach Rooibos tea with fresh peaches or shortbread cookies

- TSTE® Chamomile Twist tea and chocolate covered orange segments (or chocolate covered fruit segments)

Don’t forget about our Summer Limited Edition Teas!  A’Lotta Colada with cherries, Berry Lemondrop with chocolate chips, fresh raspberries or strawberries, and our favorite Citrus Breeze with chocolate covered orange segments.

Ingredients

1 cup coarsely chopped chocolate, candies, fruit or granola

1/3 cup strong brewed TSTE® tea* (about 1 ½ Tbsp loose tea to ½ cup water), tea leaves strained (*Black teas or fruit infused herbal teas work best)

1 pint vanilla or chocolate ice cream

1 TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter frozen 24 hours (available in stores)

Preparation

Combine the tea and chopped add ins.  Ingredients will soften and begin to melt into the tea.

Scoop ice cream onto frozen TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter. Smash the iced cream across the block. Drizzle with some of the tea mixture. Scoop and smash the ice cream and tea mixture together. Scoop into a frozen dessert cup and enjoy!

Make ahead. Place prepared ice cream in a container and freeze.  Soften about 15 minutes in refrigerator before serving.

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Homemade TSTE® Coconut Oolong Tea Ice Cream

For those who want to make their own ice cream, try this old favorite from our TSTE® recipe archives. We’ve revamped the recipe for use with our TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter. A bit messy (unless you partially freeze the ice cream mixture first), but we promise the delicate salt-like flavor imparted into the ice cream is incredibly delicious!

Makes 1 ½ Quarts

Ingredients

½ cup loose TSTE® Coconut Oolong tea

½ teaspoon allspice

1 cup boiling water

1 cup evaporated milk, scalded

3 eggs separated

1 ½ cups sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup coconut, finely chopped and toasted (optional)

1 frozen TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter (available in stores)

Preparation

Combine tea and allspice.  Pour boiling water over leaves.  Immediately add scalded milk. Steep for 5 to 8 minutes. Strain; do not press on the tea leaves. Cool to room temperature. (If using ice cream maker skip to the directions below)

If you don’t have an ice cream maker

Bring a saucepot of water to a boil.  In a large heat proof bowl whip the egg yolks until pale yellow in color. Add 1 cup sugar, and the salt.  Add cooled tea mixture and place the bowl over the boiling water until thickened while stirring constantly.  Set bowl into an ice bath and stir until the mixture is completely cool. Add lemon juice and zest.

Whisk egg whites until foamy cialis online canada pharmacy and then slowly add remaining sugar while continuing to whisk.  When the whites are approaching firm peaks set aside. Then, whip cream until thick enough to hold a soft peak.  Fold egg whites and whipped cream into the cooled mixture. Pour into a container for freezing.  When ice cream is half frozen, scoop out onto frozen TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter.  Sprinkle coconut over and scoop and mix in (you will need to do this in batches).  Return to container; freeze until firm.

Directions for Ice Cream Maker:

Beat egg yolks, all of sugar, and salt. Add cooled tea mixture and cook over boiling water till thickened, stirring constantly. Cool. Add lemon juice and zest. Beat egg whites until the soft peak stage.  Combine cream with yolk/tea mixture and stir in egg whites.  Pour into ice cream maker and process.  Before serving, soften on counter for about 5 minutes.  Scoop ice cream onto frozen TSTE® Himalayan Salt Platter and smash and scoop the ice cream about until lightly seasoned (you can add in chocolate chips or TSTE® Coconut Sugar (or your other favorite flavor).  Serve in a well-chilled dessert bowl.

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Shake things up this summer by mixing your own ice cream treats! Or, try our delicate Coconut Oolong Tea Ice Cream Recipe. Making homemade ice cream is an activity that the whole family can enjoy. Of course, the end result is also enjoying the fruits (or sweets, or salts, or chocolates, etc.) of your labor! It’s one activity that’s sure to create some wonderful memories in the process.

Whether you’re entertaining the family or spicing things up beachside, we’ve got you covered! This summer, The Spice & Tea Exchange® is all about seafood!

The Spice & Tea Exchange® has recently introduced THREE new extraordinary seafood flavors; perfect for boils, cookouts, and beach-side family dinners. We’re also featuring the TSTE® Beach Kit, one of three awesome vacation kits, which include five TSTE® ingredients you’ll love. If you’re a foodie, this is the perfect grab-and-go accessory for your summer vacation!

TSTE® Beach Kit

Included are 1oz bags of:

TSTE® Crab & Shrimp Boil
TSTE® Lime Frost Salt
TSTE® Coastal Blend
TSTE® Coconut Sugar
TSTE® Mariner’s Chowder Seasoning

A few ideas to get you started:
Add  TSTE® Crab and Shrimp Boil to your favorite mix of seafood ingredients (1 Tbsp to 1 qt water) for a kicked up seafood boil! Add cool flavor to your seafood, pasta, soup or meat with TSTE® Coastal Blend, or make the perfect cup of chowder with our NEW TSTE® Mariner’s Chowder Seasoning! (See more below)

Celebrate summer with TSTE® Lime Frost Salt-Rimmed margaritas or mojitos, or add TSTE® Lime Frost Salt to your corn-on-the-cob. Then, sweeten your summer dessert with TSTE® Coconut Sugar!

The possibilities are endless!

New Seafood Blends

What’s the hardest part of using these blends? Choosing which one! These blends are great additions to simple meals and add a burst of flavor to any summer chowder, seafood mix, or boil, with little-to-no effort. Simply add and enjoy. What’s better? They can also serve as fantastic rubs and seasonings for seafood grilling.

Low Country Boil

Ingredients: black pepper, sea salt, celery seed, dill seed, coriander, brown mustard, paprika, cloves, allspice, yellow mustard, mace, white sugar, cardamom, chili flakes, bay leaves, onion powder, lemon zest, ginger.

Ideas for your boil:
Boils contain a variety of ingredients which may include: crawfish, shrimp, crab, sausage, corn, potatoes, or onions; depending upon the region or recipe. So, Add 1 full TBS per qt of water and boil for 5-8 mins. before adding other ingredients. BAM! You’ve got a kickin’ country boil!

Chesapeake Bay Blend

Ingredients: black pepper, celery seed, salt, paprika, mace, brown mustard, white sugar, cardamom, bay leaves, chili flakes, cloves, onion powder, lemon zest, ginger.

A few ideas:
- Use on fries, wings, burgers, chowders, and of course, it is excellent on steamed crabs!
- Stir Chesapeake Bay Blend into tartar sauce for a kicked-up dipping sauce to enjoy with your favorite shrimp
- Coat seafood with Chesapeake Bay prior to battering and deep frying or dry-sautéing for an extra layer of flavor!

Mariner’s Chowder Seasoning

Ingredients: minced onions, green and red bell peppers, olive salt, cialis order black pepper, thyme, parsley, chili pepper flakes, paprika, fennel.

A few ideas:
This distinct TSTE® blend can add a zesty twist to clam cakes, lobster rolls, and other seafood dishes. Simply mix-in for amazing flavor. For chowders, use it in place of the usual herbs and spices. It’s great in both cream chowders and red chowders!

For recipe ideas, visit www.spiceandtea.com and stay tuned for additional recipes here on our blog!