Joy Quinn-Whalen, store owner of The Spice and Tea Exchange, brings a whole spread of tea, sweet treats, dips, and more to the DelmarvaLife kitchen.
We get to taste it all! Stop by The Spice and Tea Exchange and try out these simple recipes for yourself.
Compound Butters:
Add flair and sophistication easily by blending in our spices for some delicious and tasty butters for: breakfast muffins/pancakes, breads, seafood, steamed vegetables, meats and more! All compound butters use 1 stick of softened, unsalted butter. Blend, transfer to wax paper, roll into a log, chill for at least 3 hours.
- Garlic Pesto: Mix 1T Italian Herb Blend + 1 tsp Vik’s Garlic Fix
- Mushroom Paradise: 1T Mushroom Paradise + 1T Red Bell Pepper + ½ tsp Black Truffle Sea Salt
- Jalapeno Lime: 1 tsp Jalapeno Pepper Powder + ½ tsp Lime Frost Sea Salt + 1T Cilantro
- Hibiscus Ginger: 1T Hibiscus Flowers (crushed in mortar & pestle then hydrated in 1T warm water for 15 minutes, strain) + 1.5 tsp Ground Ginger +1.5 tsp Lime Sugar
- Mustard & Beer: 2 tsp Ground Yellow Mustard + 1T Chives + 2tsp Beer Powder
- Raspberry Lavender: 1T Raspberry Sugar + 2tsp Honey Granules + 1T Lavender Flowers (crushed in mortar & pestle)
- Sriracha Citrus: 2 tsp Sriracha Powder + 1/2T Lemon Verbena + 1tsp Lemon Sugar
Dips & Hors D’oeuvres:
Tomato Bruschetta:
- 2T TSTE Vik’s Garlic Blend
- Optional: a few sprinkles of Kahuna Garlic Salt and also of Steakhouse Blend; sliced mozzarella cheese
- From the Grocer: 2.5 cups chopped grape or cherry tomatoes, French baguette or crackers.
- Toss tomatoes with olive oil and Vik’s garlic (qty to your taste) and a little salt/pepper and bake for 20 minutes. Spoon onto bread hot (or chilled) for tasty appetizer. Can also top with a piece of mozzarella cheese.
Backwoods Beer Dip:
- 2T TSTE Backwoods Hicory Rub
- 2 tsp TSTE Beer Powder
- 1.5 tsp TSTE Chives
- From Grocer: 1cup whole Milk; 2T unsalted butter, 2T all-purpose flower, 1cup Cheddar cheese ORmelt 16oz of processed cheese block as directed on packaging.
- Prepare cheese sauce, whisking constantly adding milk for desired consistency. Stir in spice ingredients, serve in a crock pot or on top of nachos, wings, hot dogs, veggies and more.
Savoire Fare Dip:
- 1 1/4T Dried Green Pepper
- 1 ¼ Dried Red Pepper
- 1/2T Sweet Onion Sugar
- 1/2T Habanero Sugar
- From Grocer: 8oz Whipped Cream Cheese, softened; 8oz sour cream
- Prep:
- Rehydrate the dried peppers in warm water for 5-7 minutes and strain.
- Thoroughly blend cream cheese and sour cream
- Combine strained peppers with remaining TSTE ingredients
- Serve with crackers or pita chips – It’s Sweet! It’s Savory! It’s got kick!
Pumpkin Spice Dip:
- 2T Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
- Optional – candied ginger
- From Grocer: 1 can pumpkin, 1 50z box instant vanilla pudding, 1 16oz cool whip. Blend all together; Top with candied ginger sprinkles if desired.
- Serve with apples, graham crackers, nilla wafers, or to top off a slice of pie.
Sweet Treats:
Dark Chocolate Bark:
- 16oz Dark Chocolate chips OR 8oz semisweet with 8oz bittersweet
- TSTE Sugar of Choice – Suggest: Salted Caramel, Peppermint Patty OR Bacon Salt
- Melt 12 oz of the chips in the microwave or double boiler; stir in remaining 4 oz until smooth. Spread to your desired thickness on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle bag of sugar on top. Chill until hard. Break up into bark.
White Chocolate Match Holiday Bark – sweet, salty, with beautiful green color provided by Matcha tea.
- TSTE Ingredients: 2 tsp Matcha, 1T Cocoa Nibs, 1.5 T Cyprus White Sea Salt
- From Grocer: 24 oz white chocolate chips and ½ cup dried cranberries
- Prep:
- Gather 16oz white chocolate; Melt 12oz in Microwave for 1 min, stirring hallway through. Add remaining 4 oz chocolate and stir until smooth; set aside.
- Gather 8 oz white chocolate. Melt 6oz in Microwave for 1 min, stirring halfway through. Add remaining 2 oz, stir until. SIFT the Matcha into bowl until fully incorporated.
- Pour 16 oz white chocolate on parchment lined baking sheet to desired thickness. Dot about 12 spoonfuls of Matcha chocolate on top; swirl together in circular motion (with toothpick) for marbling effect
- Sprinkle with Cocoa Nibs, Cyprus Salt and cranberries. Chill until chocolate sets. Chop into pieces.
Emperor’s Chai Ice Cream:
- 1 oz Emperor’s chai tea
- 1 container Vanilla Ice-cream
- Steep 1 oz tea in 4 oz water @ temperature for time indicated on bag.
- Allow ice-cream to soften. Mix 2-4 oz concentrated tea mix in ice-cream; refreeze.
Holiday Cheer:
Seasonal Teas: Serve hot, pair w/ spirit, or chill as base for cocktail:
- Limited-Time-Offer (LTO) Teas: Chocolate Orange Decadence, Pomegranate Frost Herbal, Pumpkin Caramel Cream, Pumpkin Chai Latte
- Cinnamon Plum, Mint-Chilla Chai Nilla, Cranberry Apple Tart
Mulled Apple Cider:
- 1 Bag TSTE Mulling Spice Blend
- TSTE Cinnamon or Apple Cinnamon Sugar
- 1 Quart Apple Coder
- Steep mulling bag in apple cider in crock pot or stovetop for 15-30 minutes
- Consider rimming your mug with Cinnamon or Apple sugar; Add dark rum (1oz rum per oz cider) for additional cheer.
Mulled Wine:
- 1 Bag TSTE Mulling Spice Blend
- 1 bottle fruity red wine (not too sweet as sweetness will concentrate) – Merlot, Cabernet, Burgundy are good choices.
- Simmer (don’t boil) wine in crock pot or stovetop for 15-30 minutes with mulling spices. Serve w cinnamon stick.
