Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Spice Blends are In! Now We Have 8! Remember when we only had One?

Just over 8 years ago, I started blending and milling spices late at night to earn a little extra grocery money while my kids were asleep and I was a full time mom. This is one of the very first printed labels. Initially...I wrote them all by hand. 
 A few years later, I had a different look and sold the spices exclusively on Etsy. 
 I'd go to boutiques and hope that a few bottles would sell so I could get something special for my kids at Christmas. I remember one year a friend and her husband bought about 25 bottles. I bawled all the way home. It made such a difference to me at that time, not only to have that huge vote of confidence, but that boost of cash for some essentials. 

 A year and a half ago...this is how the Wise Woman of the East Blend label looked.  I thought I had come pretty far from the days of hand-written labels. This was also about the time I was staying up until well past 3 AM about 4 nights a week filling orders and making more blends. It was crazy!
 Last June, my spices were bottled. I went to Salt Lake City, Utah and blended and packed each bottle myself at the Honeyville kitchen. It was the first time I got to see them on an actual store shelf! I was so excited!
 A few months later, these new labels were made. The spices were not only popular, but getting more popular!  I was officially adopted as a Honeyville product! Waaawhooo! At that time I had four blends that I had developed and loved. They were (and are) blended by one of the finest spice companies I know!  
Wise Woman of the East was (and still is) my most popular blend. I use it anywhere a recipe calls for cinnamon. It is amazing. 

 During all of this... I had four more spice blends  that I had "off menu"...if you knew they existed, you asked for them by name and if I loved you enough...I'd make a bottle for you. 

 Now I have eight blends! 

Well...Nine.
 I have nine if you count my Gingham Masala Spice Blend
It totally counts.
Gingham Masala- An exotic blend based on an ancient recipe.  Formulated by me as a colorful accent that highlights any meal with tongue tingling flavor and beauty. Packaged in collectible glass bottles adorned with art by Erik Johnson, these spices complement any cook’s kitchen. Proceeds from the sale of this spice go 100% to help feed, educate and cloth impoverished HIV orphans in India through the efforts of the Gingham Project. It can be found Here.   One day...I'm going to bring one of those kids home.  I just know it. 


Today, I have to show you the new labels!
The new blends should be in stores very soon! I know that they have already shipped...so now it is just a matter of time. 

Introducing:

Cheftessbakresse™ French Provencal Essential™ 
A bold blend of rustic French herbs, citrus, and garlic with a hint of sea salt to add depth and Provencal charm to your salads, poultry, sauces, pasta dishes and potatoes.
Ingredients: Granulated garlic, granulated onion, Herbs, Spices, and Sea salt
No Sugar or MSG. 


Cheftessbakresse™ The Big Dill (Salt-Free)
Wake up your taste buds to a Salt-Free dill, bell pepper, citrus, garlic and onion blend that is designed to add brilliant bright flavor to your life! It is remarkable on seafood, in potato salad, egg dishes, sour cream dips and cream cheese spreads. 
Ingredients: granulated onion, dill weed, bell pepper, lemon peel, garlic, spices. No sugar, salt or MSG.

Chef Tess Bakeresse™ Greek Olympian 
Bold, powerful, and able to make anyone fall instantly in love! Call down the thunder. This is the Venus of spice blends! With a perfect balance of beautiful Greek herbs,  spices, lemon and garlic it is remarkable on roasted meat, vegetables, salads, and pizza. Salt Free!
Ingredients: Herbs, Spices, Garlic, Onion, Lemon peel, pepper. No Sugar, Salt or MSG.

Chef Tess Bakeresse™ Amazing Wok-Star  
Beautiful musical notes of the Orient will burst from your latest dish when you add this tangy, spiced-citrus blend to your stir-fry, marinades, rice dishes, sauces and grilled vegetables. It is sure to transform any ordinary dinner into a concert for your mouth!
Ingredients:  natural soy sauce powder (contains wheat), natural lime juice powder, garlic, onion, lemon zest, orange zest, ginger, cinnamon, spices, coconut powder, natural misquite smoke flavor.Contains Wheat. No sugar or MSG. 


There you go! I'll be certain to post when the bottles are in my sweet little hands! This is such a huge blessing!

Always My Very Best,
Your Friend Chef Tess

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

They need a reaction check box for AWESOME! AMAZING! And WOO HOO! Looking forward to trying your new spice blends - especially the greek and dill one! Wok star...oh why can't you be wheat free?! Congrats Steph - its been quite a journey :)

Anonymous said...

Where are the new spices sold?

Chef Tess said...

www.honeyvillegrain.com or you can get individual bottles www.generousgiant.com.

Melia said...

Hi Chef Tess. I am loving your spices and cook books! I saw you at the Honeyville store teaching a lesson on Meals in A Jar. Awesome! I wanted to see if there is somewhere that sales your spices in larger quantities. I am getting to some serious Meals in a Jar and I need lots of your yummy spices!! Thanks so much for all you have taught me so far.

obergirl said...

I found your goodies when I lived in Brigham. OMG, when my sister from Indiana came to live in Utah I introduced her to Wise Women....it is a food storage; daily staple in our world. Life is not good without it. She and I fight for the case when it comes in to the Brigham Store. Since I have added all the blends you have. She and I use your dill glen like crazy in EVERYTHING....love it is eggs! My son is huge on your WOK STAR and Italian Blend. They are all AMAZING. Honeyville only shows the four pack on the site. I have since moved to Michigan in the last week and fear not being able to get what I need without buying the pack. Can I get it separate as I use the Dill and Wise Woman more because I think we use it to brush our teeth...LOL.

Paige Hepworth
obergirl@hotmail.com

obergirl said...

I found your goodies when I lived in Brigham. OMG, when my sister from Indiana came to live in Utah I introduced her to Wise Women....it is a food storage; daily staple in our world. Life is not good without it. She and I fight for the case when it comes in to the Brigham Store. Since I have added all the blends you have. She and I use your dill glen like crazy in EVERYTHING....love it is eggs! My son is huge on your WOK STAR and Italian Blend. They are all AMAZING. Honeyville only shows the four pack on the site. I have since moved to Michigan in the last week and fear not being able to get what I need without buying the pack. Can I get it separate as I use the Dill and Wise Woman more because I think we use it to brush our teeth...LOL.

Paige Hepworth
obergirl@hotmail.com

Moved On!! said...

I purchased my first "Wise Woman of the East" three years ago in Brigham City. Since then I have used nearly seven bottles....I can with it, I use it in everything!!!!!! I now am totally hooked on "The Big Dill." Use it in eggs, bread, sauces, even on garlic toast. My sister and I have simply become hooked. I now live in Michigan and have converted the Missionaries to your spices, make them each a cookbook to take of their favorite dishes they have had here, and on the front page of each book is a picture of "Wise Woman of the East" because it is all they hear when I am cooking in the kitchen and they ask what smells so good. Chef Tess, I love you.

Paige Hepworth