Spice 101: Salt Free Thai Spice and a Stir Fry

Salt Free Thai Spice is one of my very favorite blends! I love it for its powerful and unique flavor, and it's almost cheesy savory-ness. It contains a complex blend of traditional Thai spices that strike our bland Western palette with gusto! Think a blissful marriage of lime zest, coconut, garlic and ginger, and a few peppers! Now just imagine how amazing your next stir fry, marinade or pad Thai noodles will be with this! In fact, how about we get you started with a delicious and healthy stir-fry recipe right now?? If this doesn't sound like your stir fry, just add it to the stir fry you already love!


Thai Spice Stir Fry

2 Tbs STM Garlic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 1/2 lbs raw diced chicken
1/2 c diced red onion
1/2 c diced red bell pepper
1/2 c diced yellow bell pepper
1/2 c sliced mushrooms
1/4 c broccoli florets
1/4 c cauliflower florets
1/4 c chopped carrots
1 Tbs STM ginger powder
1/4 c STM Salt Free Thai Spice
1/2 c peanut butter
2 Tbs soy sauce
1/4 c water
3 c cooked rice
Pinch of STM toasted sesame seeds


Heat wok (or skillet) over high heat for 2 minutes. Turn down the heat to medium and add oil and garlic and chicken, saute for 3 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Add Thai Spice and saute for 1 minute. Add remaining vegetables and continue stirring for 5 minutes. Add peanut butter, soy sauce and water and cook for 1 minute, mixing well. Serve over hot rice and sprinkle sesame seed on top.

Salt 101: Truffle Sea Salt

Black Truffles, courtesy foodtrotter.com

I am sharing a truly decadent treat with you today, our newly stocked Truffle Sea Salt. Even smelling the aroma from the sealed bottle is enough to put me over the edge, dreaming of truffle french fries, truffle salted soup, really anything I can truffle, you better believe I will! Truffles have a distinct richness, savory and decadent, almost like garlic. If you aren't a truffle connoisseur yet, hopefully we can learn a few things together!

White Truffles, courtesy americanfeast.com

Truffles are delicacies, not only for their rich, earthy flavor, but because they are rare and expensive. Truffles only grow underground near certain trees in specific regions of Europe. Specially trained pigs and dogs sniff out and dig up the precious truffles. A single pound of truffles sells for a few hundred to a few thousand dollars! To make their prized flavor more accessible, it is often infused into oils and salts, both available for you at Spice Traders Mercantile. 

In addition to sprinkling truffle salt on your next batch of french fries, here are a few more brilliant ways to add some rich truffle class to your cuisine! Don't leave this experience for the privileged, get yours today!

• Substitute a small amount of truffle salt for plain salt in a variety of cold dishes or dishes prepared on the stove. Truffle flavor cooks out if heated for prolonged periods, so take care to add it near the end or as a finishing salt. 
• Sprinkle over salads, inside sandwiches, or cooked vegetables. Add to corn on the cob, popcorn, mashed or baked potatoes, or add to your next vinaigrette dressing.
• Sub out equal amounts of truffle salt for regular salt in white sauces, risottos and other cream-based recipes.
• Top on fried, scrambled, poached or baked eggs, even an omelet. Great in an egg sandwich. 
• Use it as your secret ingredient in egg salads, tuna or chicken salads, potato or pasta salads, or any other mayonnaise-based salad. 
• Finish red meat and seafood dishes with a dusting of truffle salt. Use truffle salt in place of regular salt in marinades. 

So what are you waiting for?

Spice 101: Coleslaw Spice Mix and 2 Recipes!

Today, meet simplicity! We are offering you the perfect blend, a versatile mix that will help you create a delicious coleslaw, but it doesn't' stop there! Try it in your next batch of deviled eggs as well! Experiment away, don't let the fun stop at just these two ideas!

Photo courtesy myrecipes.com

Basic Coleslaw Recipe

3 c shredded green cabbage
2 c shredded red cabbage
1/2 c shredded raw carrots
1/4 c chopped green onion
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 Tbs vinegar
1 1/2 tsp STM Coleslaw Spice Mix
Salt to taste

Combine veggies in a large bowl. Mix mayo, vinegar and spice mix in a separate bowl. Combine dressing with veggies, salt to taste. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Photo courtesy pinchmysalt.com

The Perfect Deviled Egg


12 hard boiled eggs
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 tsp STM dried parsley flakes
1/8 tsp STM minced chives
2 tsp STM Coleslaw Spice Mix
1/8 tsp STM minced garlic
1/8 tsp STM turmeric (for a brilliant golden yellow color)
2 Tbs milk



Slice eggs in half lengthwise. Remove yolks to a bowl, set whites aside. Mash yolks with mayo, parsley, chives, Coleslaw Spice Mix, garlic, turmeric and milk. Stuff or pipe back into whites. Garnish with an additional dusting of the Coleslaw Spice Mix. Refrigerate until serving

Spice 101: Fenugreek

We have a wonderful new resource here at Spice Traders! Our newest crew member, Jennifer, has shared with us an amazing book, "Healing Spices: How to Use 50 Everyday and Exotic Spices to Boost Health and Beat Disease" by Bharat B. Aggarwal, PhD. It's an amazing read and we are thrilled to share with you all the things spices can do to benefit your health and your life, besides bringing delicious flavor! First up, fenugreek seeds! What are they? What can they do for us? And how do we cook with them?

Fenugreek is a seed of a grass-like plant, a spice common to South Asia, East Asia and the Middle East. Once the seed is cooked, or just lightly roasted even, it imparts a nutty, maple syrup-like flavor.

And what can fenugreek do for us? Over 100 scientific studies show fenugreek to be a powerful agent in regulating blood sugar! Not only can it do this, but it has shown to aid in weight loss (due to it's bulk and insulin control) cancer, high cholesterol, fatty liver disease, cataracts, kidney stones, gallstones, and infections.

But most importantly, the practical aspect. How do we cook with it and actually consume it so it can do all this good for us? Here's a quick list...

• add a sprinkle of ground fenugreek to the breading of fried foods
• sprinkle a few seeds in vegetable casserole for a unique and delicious flavor
• add a pinch of ground fenugreek to cookies, for a nutty and maple-y flair
• add a pinch to mayonnaise to give it a mustard-like bite
• mix roasted ground seeds with dried, ground chiles and other spices, and use as a dipping sauce for bread
• add roasted and coarsely chopped seeds to salads, which adds an interesting crunchiness

And for a more complex and very delicious application, here's a recipe to try it out! Don't worry, you can master this one! No Indian lessons necessary!

Photo courtesy kerala.me

Mild Coconut Fish Curry recipe adapted from Moscow Food Co-op

2 T. STM Garlic EVOO
2 large shallots, sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 T. mustard seeds
3/4 pound firm white fish, skinned and cut in 1" pieces
flour for dusting fish
1/2 t. STM fenugreek seed
1" piece of cinnamon stick
1/2 t. STM turmeric
3/4 c. coconut milk
1/4 c. water
3 T. grated coconut
salt

Sauté shallots, garlic, mustard seeds and fenugreek in oil for 12 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon. Dust the fish with flour and briefly brown in hot oil. Return shallot mixture to pan and add turmeric, cinnamon, coconut milk and water. Simmer covered for 5 minutes until fish is cooked. Stir in coconut, add salt if desired, and serve.

Second Round Club Recipes, Chicken Salad and Pineapple Poppy Scones

Here's to the Second-Round of Vino and Hops Club recipes, specially tailored to give you ONE MORE recipe to use those spices in your club pack! This time we're using the minced ginger and the Worcestershire powder found in your Hops Club in a fresh Chicken Salad, perfect for those warm summer days. We're also trying a baked sweet, a Pineapple Poppy Scone using the poppy seed, lemon twist salt and the Pineapple White Balsamic Vinegar in your Vino Club. 

It's summer, let's not forget that when it's chilly like it has been. On that summery note, we are tickled pink to share with you a delicious Chicken Salad recipe we have discovered. So grab that Recipe Spice Pack and use it one more time!

Spiced Bacon Chicken Salad    ***Included in your Hops Spice Pack

2 1/2 c diced cooked chicken

4 bacon strips, cooked crispy and crumbled

1 8 oz can sliced water chestnuts (optional)

1/2 c thinly sliced celery

1 c halved green grapes

3/4 c mayonnaise or salad dressing

1 Tbs STM dried parsley flakes

2 tsp sliced green onion

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp STM minced ginger***

1 tsp STM Worcestershire Powder***

salt and pepper to taste

Combine chicken, bacon, water chestnuts, celery and grapes in a large bowl; set aside. In another bowl, whisk together remaining ingredients and add to first bowl, tossing to coat. Chill until serving. 

Now there are many ways to enjoy a chicken salad, either as a sandwich with lettuce, tomato, cheese and sprouts on good bread, or with hearty chips as a dip! Let us know how you like to enjoy chicken salad! We love hearing from you!

Pineapple Poppy Scones recipe adapted liberally from Everyday Food      ****Included in your Vino Spice Pack

2 1/2 c flour

1/4 c sugar

1 T baking powder

3/4 tsp STM Lemon Twist Artisan Salt***

1/2 c (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1/2 c plus 2 Tbs buttermilk, divided

1 T STM Pineapple White Balsamic Vinegar***

1/4 c pineapple juice

1 large egg yolk

2 tsp STM poppy seeds***

coarse sugar for sprinkling

butter and fruit jam for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and position the racks in the upper and lower thirds. Line two jelly roll pans (deeper cookie sheets) with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. If you do not have a salt grinder, use the base of a heavy skillet to crush the salt on a cutting board (it might help to cover salt with a paper towel so it doesn't turn into mini projectiles in your kitchen). Using a pastry blender or your fingertips, work butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal, with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining. Using a fork, stir in 1/2 c buttermilk, balsamic vinegar, juice, yolk and poppy seeds until just combined. The dough should be scraggly and messy-looking. 

Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface, and knead a few times to form a large circle. Cut the circle in half and continue to cut triangles (see photo above). Transfer the triangles to the baking sheet. Brush tops with remaining buttermilk and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake until the scones are pale golden, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. Allow to cool on wire racks. Serve with butter and jam...and a warm cup of tea! Or if it is actually warm that day, have as dessert with some ice cream!

Fish Taco Frenzy

Photo courtesy simplyrecipes.com

Each time someone tastes our delicious Garlic Cilantro Balsamic Vinegar for the first time, they are blown away by the intense complex blend of flavors! I always recommend three applications, Carne Asada, Taco Salad and Fish Tacos! Finally today, a blessed regular customer asked if I had a good fish taco recipe, so this blog was born! Here is a custom tailored Fish Taco recipe, made just for you, our wonderful fellow traders! Please note, those of you who are conscious of your waistline, this can easily be turned into a marinade and grilled, and skip the beer batter fry step...if you must. In the second set of ingredients, leave out the yogurt and mayo and use the lime to cayenne as a fish marinade, then grill the next day. You loose nothing! If frying, the sauce is best made a few hours ahead of time, up to 8, to let the flavors blend.

Fish Taco Frenzy


1 c flour
2 Tbs cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp STM Lemon Twist artisan salt
1 egg
1 c STM craft beer, of your choice

Courtesy Brooklyn Brewery

1/2 c plain yogurt
1/2 c mayonnaise
1 lime, juiced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 tsp minced capers
1/2 tsp STM dried oregano
1/2 tsp STM ground cumin
1/2 tsp STM dill
1/2 tsp STM ground cayenne pepper


1 qt frying oil ( I recommend coconut oil)
1 lb white fish, like cod, cut into 2-3 oz portions
1 12 oz pkg corn tortillas
1/2 pkg pre-made coleslaw mix
1 sm bunch cilantro, shredded, as a topping
STM Garlic Cilantro Balsamic Vinegar

To make beer batter: In a large bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, baking power and salt. Blend egg and beer, then quickly stir into the flour mixture, allowing for lumps.
To make the white sauce: In a medium bowl, mix together yogurt and mayonnaise. Gradually stir in fresh lime juice until consistency is slightly runny. Season with jalapeno, capers, oregano, cumin, dill and cayenne.
Heat oil in deep-fryer to 375 degrees F.
Dust fish pieces lightly with flour. Dip in beer batter and fry until crisp and golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Lightly fry tortillas, or warm in a greased skillet. To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla, top with slaw mix, cilantro, white sauce and drizzled STM Garlic Cilantro Balsamic Vinegar. 

Chimay Beer Onion Soup

Have you ever experienced a glass of Chimay? This isn't just beer, this is authentic and traditional Trappist Beer, brewed at the Notre Dame de Scourmont Abbey in Belgium under the constant authority of monks whose revenue is devoted to social services. What does this mean? For starters...

Notre Dame d Scourmont Abbey in Chimay, Belgium

It guarantees the consumer the Trappist origin of the products according to well-established principles:

1. They are manufactured on-site or in close proximity to the monastery.
2. The monastic community is engaged in management and all aspects of the means necessary for their operation. This must clearly reflect both the unquestionably subordinate relationship with the beneficiary monastery and the relationship with the culture of the enterprise itself in the plan of monastic life.
3. The income provides for the major portion of the necessities of the community and for social services.  

Want even more info? Check out the Chimay website. 

I'm not sure you need a more selfless reason to enjoy a glass of beer! But just in case you need some more encouragement, they have shared a few of their amazing recipes on their site, one of which we will share with you today!

Chimay Red Cap Onion Soup 

 8 large onions, your favorite variety

3/4 c butter

1 tsp STM dried thyme or 1 1/2 Tbs fresh thyme leaves

3 c chicken stock

3 c Chimay Red Cap or CHIMAY ROUGE

4 cloves garlic, chopped

STM Tellicherry black peppercorns, ground

STM finishing salt

12 baguette slices

8 slices Gruyere or other Swiss cheese

Clean and cut the onions into thin round slices. Brown onion slices in butter with thyme. Deglaze pan with Chimay Rouge and chicken stock. Add garlic and continue cooking until the onions are soft. Season with ground peppercorns and finishing salt.  Place soup in serving size bowls, top with baguette slices and cheese, broil until cheese is browned and bubbly. 

Pick up your Chimay Peres Trappistes set today, complete with the chalice-shaped glass, the only way to fully experience the aromas and flavour of Chimay.