Celebrate with Me!

I love celebrations. Life is short and every minute is worth celebrating. I have had my doubts about starting Spice Entice, but I think my mission will help carry me through. According to my timeline, I am expecting to open a booth at the Macon City Market on the Green next weekend. As the date rapidly approaches, my belief that I can make this successful flees just as quickly. To help me get past this, I am going to have a drawing to celebrate the beginning. You will have the chance to win a gift basket full of goodies, handpicked by me! It will include anything from teas to spices, to cool accessories. A mystery of sorts! Everyone wants to be able to say that they found something before it became popular, and this is the perfect way to do that, while helping me build morale! ;) In order to enter, shoot me an email to spiceentice@gmail.com including your name, address, and phone number. The winner will be announced September 10, 2011.  Share this link with your friends; the more people enter, the more often these celebrations will happen!

Fair Trade

One of the main reasons I wanted to start Spice Entice was to support fair trade and organic living. After my recent trip to South Africa, I wanted to find a way to support people in different areas of the world, contributing directly to their well being. This task has been more difficult that I first imagined. I thought that I would be able to google what I wanted and it appeared magically (because that is the google way). 

 

What I found was that many suppliers don't openly supply information about the origins of their products or the method of obtaining them. Other than coffee, it would seem that most places view their suppliers as their secret weapons. Despite this, my mission remains the same.

   

 

I want to offer the residents of Macon spices, teas, herbs, and coffees from around the world that support fair trade practices and sustainable or organic farming. It is important to me to not only offer the highest quality of goods, but to know that the suppliers and their workers are not suffering for our need to have the best.

  

Before South Africa, I was skeptical about fair trade and the truth behind its practices. I worried that it was a classification that had no read basis in the lives of its workers. After seeing more than a few organizations that are fair trade certified, and seeing the workers with my own eyes, I have become a huge supporter. For more information, go to http://www.fairtrade.net/ 

Cilantro

Not too long ago, I worked in a Caribbean restaurant in Chicago named Calypso Cafe. It is a great little restaurant on the south side of Chicago in the historic Hyde Park. The year that I worked there was amazing: the people were diverse and interesting, and the food was absolutely amazing. Before working there, I had never tried Caribbean food. The selection in Macon, GA was limited when I was growing up. One of the things I absolutely loved about the food were the sauces. We had a Lime Cilantro Mayo that was pared with Plantain Crusted Tilapia that was to die for. Literally. I did a couple of time I'm sure. I begged for the recipe when I moved back to Macon, but no great restaurant gives away their secrets. So, I've had to resort to making my own version.

I should tell you, I love Cilantro. The sweet citrus flavor makes me want to grow a plot of it (not on Farmville) and lay in it. The smell of it is clean and refreshing. No matter where I buy it, it usually costs less than a dollar for a nice sized bunch. It is used in a variety of dishes, most notably Mexican food. The recipe below is great with seafood in place of the generic tarter sauce. If you are ever in the area, stop by Calypso Cafe for the Shrimp and Conch Fritters to see what the fuss is about!

Lime Cilantro Mayo

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon dijon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste
Blend all ingredients together and chill until serving. 

Rosemary

What is Rosemary?

Rosemary gets its name not from roses or a from woman named Mary, but from the Latin rosmarinus, which translates to "dew of the sea." Although the rosemary herb is a member of the mint family, it's an evergreen plant that looks and smells very much like pine.

How to Store Rosemary

 

Store rosemary in a plastic bag in the fridge. This will help it stay fresh longer.

Freeze rosemary. If you definitely won't be using rosemary for some time, freezing it is the best way to retain most of the flavor.

Dry the rosemary. Hang the rosemary sprigs upside-down in a warm, dry, dark place. Once dry, store the rosemary sprigs in an airtight container.

 Yummy Rosemary Recipe

The smell of Rosemary reminds me of walking through a forest after a rain. Eating  it makes me feel like I am in a foreign country enjoying a luxurious meal.

ROSEMARY BAKED CHICKEN

 4 chicken breasts

1 tsp. vegetable oil

1 tsp. rosemary

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ground pepper

Place chicken, skin side up, in baking dish. Brush oil over chicken. In small dish, mix together rosemary, paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle mixture over chicken.  Bake, uncovered, for 40 minutes, or until chicken is tender. Makes 4 servings.