Everyone has a favorite recipe, or at the very least a favorite dish.  Whether it’s love at first bite or a deep adoration that grows from something more of a tradition food is, quite often, love.  So when a special occasion rolls around and cooking for someone means a little bit more than it might normally it’s not surprising we’d want it to taste amazing.  And the best way I know how to do that is to add a little “adoro,” or this thing called “love.”

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Come February 5^th, the last thing anyone wants to worry about is whether their chili tastes great.  Somewhere in between “too much” and “not enough” is a whole range of taste and flavor.  To get the most out of every bite the right seasoning is required.  To help you match your recipe to the right seasoning and blends, we’ve put together a few suggestions.  We’ve gone through the classic flavor profiles of every type of chili – from Texas to Cincinnati and everything in between – and created a short list of add-ins to whatever you already use.  To use our Chili Matcher simply choose the classic chili dish closest to your recipe, then pick the blend that sounds most appealing.  Add about 2 teaspoons (or up to 1 tablespoon, to suit your taste) per quart of prepared chili, then sit back and enjoy all the compliments.

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Like most things spices, too, have a shelf life.  Some people say you should replace spices every three months, while others say every six months to a year.  Not everyone agrees on the “when,” but generally everyone agrees that when that bright aromatic wow-factor is missing, it’s time to switch them out.  I find it easiest to use food-specific events or holidays to sort through my pantry:  out with the old, then trade up, restock and add a few blends and new ingredients to keep things interesting.  No surprise, February’s first big event has some big flavors to match.  You need high quality, bold color, and intense aromatic seasonings if you’re going to pull off the big-game menu.  Now is the time to sort through the spice larder and take a quick inventory so come the big day (or I should say the big meal) your food will be bright, aromatic and full of flavor.

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I follow food.  I guess in some sense we all do.  So, naturally when projected trends in food are published, especially when these so-called trends emanate from The Fancy Foods Show, I pay attention.  And, recently, out of the San Francisco venue came a surprising little notation:  cardamom.  Apparently cardamom is about to have its moment, popping up in everything from candies to, yes, tea.  I thought it apropos the list would include cardamom, especially this National Hot Tea Month.  No surprise, The Spice and Tea Exchange has a few delish teas that already include cardamom.  But it’s TSTE’s other clever uses of cardamom that get it my vote for being trend-setters!

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“Quintessentially British, utterly civilized and a treat that should be enjoyed on a regular basis, there is nothing quite like afternoon tea…” so begins Anton Edelmann’s Taking Tea at the Savoy Taking Tea at the Savoy, one of my favorite primers on tea service.  But, ask any of my friends in any of The Spice and Tea Exchange shops you wander into and I bet they’ll have their own favorite.  And rightfully so.  Tea preference is about as individualized as it comes.  Everything from temperature to brew strength, to the color of the leaves to the infusions, flavors, and tastes.  Still there is something so wonderfully agreeable as a cup of tea.  And, what better time to explore the world of tea than right now during National Hot Tea Month.

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Some things you take for granted, especially what you just “know” in the kitchen.  When I was creating the spiced butter, the importance of having garlic in the kitchen, as well as the know-how to roast it into a sweet mellow spread, seemed rather obvious.  Much to my surprise, a lot of friends commented that they thought roasting garlic is difficult, ultra time consuming, and mostly, that no one seemed to know what to do with (besides add it to the butter recipe).  The Mushroom Soup recipe is a perfect example of why having some roasted garlic around is so worthwhile.  Whisking roasted garlic into the stock adds a bit of creaminess (for those that crave a creamy mushroom soup) without needing cream.  So, why not?  This is a great time to slice open some garlic and get roasting.  With a few ideas to get you started, you’ll soon find that having a bit of roasted garlic on hand is never a bad thing.

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Follow me around the grocery store these days and you’re likely to hear me mumbling under my breath with a frown big enough to please Mr. Grinch.  When it comes to food, this is the time of year I hate the most.  The store shelves are bare, and when it comes to reliability, most of the markets I frequent are not.  But follow me into The Spice and Tea Exchange and you’ll see me linger, and stop, and smell.  I even smile.  The teas are what tantalize me now, and to start off the New Year I’m all about matcha.

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This January, we’re celebrating Hot Tea Month with a chance to win our Tea Party Sampler! To enter, leave us a comment on this blog post including the store name, city, and state of your favorite place to buy our tea. While you are at it, feel free to let us know which tea is your favorite!

The winner will receive one of each of the following teas: Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pu-erh,  Decaffeinated Earl Grey, Mango Green, Cranberry Apple Tart, and Coconut Oolong. The winner will be selected randomly on Tuesday,  January 31st. Good luck!

It’s snowing.  I’m cold.  I need soup.  I want rich stock and braised vegetables.  I’m craving a pot of something homemade and the only thing I’m short on is time.  What I do have, though, is enough know-how and savvy to coax a generous amount of flavor out of what I’ve got on hand, and the confidence to do it in about a half-hour.  Here’s my take on a super-delicious soup that you could probably make tonight, especially if you have a decent pantry and spice drawer.  You can fudge the ingredients, and don’t hesitate to do it.  Just remember at each step of the process to layer in some flavor.  For this soup, my first layer comes with a nice sauté of my vegetables and a bit of TSTE Salt and Pepper to season, next with my TSTE spice blend, and finally by reducing the broth to concentrate all that flavor.  The technique is really easy, especially because TSTE has done most of the flavor-work for you with its seasoning blends.  I’m partial to anything with an Italian flair for this soup and borrow the Tuscany Blend from my olive oil set for the recipe below.  But the Italian Street Fair, Vik’s Garlic Fix, and Italian Herb Blend all work magic in this recipe, as would a handful of the other amazing blends, including my own, Chef Donna’s Adoro.

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It’s here.  That magical eve (no, I mean the other magical eve).  Whether we love it or not, chances are we are popping the corks on some bubbly.  And, for me, well I fall into the former camp.  I love champagne. I adore champagne.  I think my new years’ resolution should be to drink champagne weekly.  And, well, why not?  There are so many affordable variations of the classic French Champagne (sparkling wine, Cava, Prosecco, Cremant, and on and on).  Not to mention, you can do as much with the bubbly as you can with just about any other liquor.  These two cocktails are among my faves, and easy enough.  They use a handful of regulars in my TSTE larder, both in the spice drawer and the tea stash.  So, let’s close the book on 2011.  It was quite a year, wasn’t it?  But let’s close it in style… a bubbly cocktail or two will do me just fine until that witching hour, when I’ll get to pop open my first bottle of the new year.  And trust me, I don’t intend it to be my last!

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The Spice & Tea Exchange brings you this post from guest blogger Jen Lane, staff writer for Food Lush:

Around 2pm each day, it hits me…the afternoon crash.  I’ve heard the advice to eat almonds or bananas to up your energy, but you know what I really want? Chocolate. More specifically? Warm chocolate.  Now I love hot cocoa as much as the next person, but the best way to kill my chocolate craving is with warm, gooey cake.  I recently stumbled across a recipe for chocolate mug cake which called for Nutella and cocoa powder.  I decided to get a little creative and use some of my TSTE Spiced Cocoa instead of plain cocoa powder.

Let’s just say it was the right thing to do.

This cake is beyond easy to prepare and contains ingredients most of us already have on hand, especially during the holiday season.  Microwave cooking times vary, so give your cake a poke after 2 minutes.  If it springs back when you touch the top and has separated from the sides of the mug, it’s ready.  If it’s still gooey, zap it for 30-60 seconds longer.  3 minutes was the perfect amount of time in my microwave.

A nice break from the measuring, mixing, pouring, stirring, cooling and, most of all, waiting that goes along with traditional cakes, this quick treat provides a great pick-me-up almost instantly and makes you feel like you’re treating yourself to something special on any old ordinary day.  The TSTE Spiced Cocoa adds the perfect kick!

SPICED CHOCOLATE MUG CAKE

4 tablespoons self-rising flour
4 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons  TSTE Spiced Cocoa
3 tablespoons Nutella
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients in a large coffee mug. Whisk well with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes, depending on your microwave wattage. Top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup, if desired. Enjoy!

Makes 1 very large serving.

About Jen

Jen Lane is happy to share some deliciousness with her fellow TSTE fans.  She is a staff writer for Food Lush and randomly blogs about life and such at Hey, Y’all.  Find her on Twitter.  Offline, she’s the mom of the world’s coolest preschooler, wife of an amazing cook, and works as a stage manager for the Alabama Shakespeare Festival.

It’s Christmas-time.  It should be cold, but I’m visiting family in the south and instead, it’s warm.  I grew up in the north, so this is pretty tough to get used to.  I want to carol and sip hot cocoa, and though the evenings are cool, they are not cold.  Still, the cocoa seems out of place.  I’m used to sipping mine fireside with fluffy marshmallows after a day on the slopes, or after a day of outdoor holiday decorating, or cutting down our Christmas tree.  In this milder climate, I’m not quite ready to give up on the creamy marshmallows (I just love it when they start to melt in the hot cocoa), but I needed to do something to make them as “cool” as it is to be where it is warm for Christmas.  My answer?  Homemade marshmallows encrusted with some TSTE Green Chili Sugar, and the TSTE new blend of Tropical Cocoa Mix.

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Simplicity squared.  At least that’s what I’ve been thinking these past few days.  I’m on the road visiting family, trying to keep up with a busy work schedule, and just to keep things really exciting, my plans somehow keep changing.  Whose days aren’t that way right now?  Truly, I vow each day to keep things simple.  And then, I do.  Ah, simplicity squared.  Of course, my Survival Kit makes that possible, especially now that my plans have changed, yet again, and I find that I’m staying on the road to have Christmas with my parents (though I’m never really sure what they’re thinking when my Survival Kit gets unpacked!).

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Embracing the idea of simplicity mid-Season might seem a bit peculiar.  It’s worth more than a passing thought, I was thinking last night as I made my way through the grocery store at about 9:30.  The to-do lists are long, and the time to do it in is now ever-shrinking.  Even more so, keeping things affordable is at the top of my list.  I spend smart, but never skimp on flavor (or quality).  So, when it comes to ice cream I always feel so conflicted.  The good stuff is expensive, and when there are a lot of people to feed, ice cream (even when it’s just a little scoop to go with some pie or cake) can get really pricey really fast.  The solution?  Mine is easy.  I make my own “gourmet-flavored” ice cream.  You need little more than your favorite Christmas candy, a spot of tea, and that no-name brand vanilla or chocolate (or both) ice cream.  In a few short minutes you are on your way to insanely delicious, designer-styled ice cream.  Ah, simplicity.  You’re a star; everyone’s happy.

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Ah, simplicity.  The very word somehow manages to evoke a sense of calm.  Or, in my case, instill a frightful sense of panic!  Simple?  Me?  For some, we thrive on overwhelm and the proverbial adrenaline rush.  That doesn’t mean we can’t embrace the concept of simplicity.  (It’s just that we plan for it a little more intensely than most!).  And this Holiday Season, from the get-go, it has been all about simplicity on my end.  It has to be.  I played host to 2 rather elaborate parties separated by 24 hours, followed by a week jammed with meetings and deadlines, and now a quick jaunt down south to visit the family only to return just before the magical eve.  And somewhere in there I’m supposed to be playing Santa (or at least his elf), penning dozens of cards, wrapping and mailing… and making merry.  The very thought of how easy it can be to pull it all together, at least when it comes to the food, takes my frenetic pace down a few notches, right to the point of almost feeling calm.

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