Chef Tess Spices Back on the Market!

Those who have been familiar with the journey here on the blog know that this is a reset.

For over thirty years I worked in the Culinary industry as an instructor, large baking industry formulator, cookbook author and recipe developer for restaurants and grocery store packaging. The very first product that I ever made and sold was my spice line and for very good reason! I developed these blends as not only a way to earn extra money as a stay at home mom when my children were small, but as a way to express my creativity as a chef. Later they were packaged and sold to go along with my first book The Gourmet Food Storage Handbook. 

These Spice Blends started it all!

As my career grew, my time at home got to be less and my husband's parents were in need of full-time care. My husband sacrificed a very successful career to be home and care for them and our two sons (both have later-diagnosed autism).

My spices were mass produced by a company called Honeyville foods. 

Then, I started working elsewhere due to corporate-wide layoffs and my spice line was eventually dropped from their production.

For the next several years I ran a restaurant as am Executive Chef, then was a Head Pastry Chef, and then a Corporate Executive Chef/Culinary Marketing Specialist for about nine years. 

During that time I had two TV shows (Culinary TV and Heartland Network Las Vegas) and was a Fox News Radio co-host in Phoenix. I published four cookbooks. Guest lectured at the Culinary Institute of America in California. Judged the National Festival of Bread. Was Vice President of the Home Baking Association with 8.9M members and was on the National Pasta Associations Communications board.

             I absolutely loved what I did.

          It also destroyed me in the sense that 

I pushed myself beyond anything I could sustain. 

Ever. 

As some may know based on my previous posts, this year I came home due to medical issues and am now under full-time care. This means I am not able to work a traditional job in the culinary world. My husband is full-time caregiver now for a wife with a brain tumor (his mom is no longer with our family due to this). I am trying not to be too much of a burden and loves him like mad for still carrying on. This is not what any of us expected.

These Spice Blends are my own original creations and made with love. We're going back to the beginning now. These are made with all natural ingredients. We do not add any sugar, MSG or yeast extracts of any kind. Salt is the last ingredient because these blends are heavy on freshly ground spices. Salt is just an accent. These blends are also vegan, responsibly and sustainably sourced.

Whenever possible we raise organic herbs in our garden and dry them ourselves to add to the blends. We are committed to quality and freshness and create a new batch of each blend at least monthly. Nothing has been laying around a big factory getting stale. Just concentrated natural spices and herbs at your fingertips for a clean delightful flavor explosion with each flip of a bottle cap. We are so thankful for every day we get to be with the people we love and we know that gathering around a delicious meal enhances that time together! God bless you all and thank you for helping us keep this family dream alive.  The business is run by my two adult sons with autism and I help oversee the production of the blends. I'm not sure how long they will be available, as this season of my life and brain tumor progress, but I'm grateful to my husband and sons for taking on this project as a way to earn financial Independence for ourselves.

The three spices we started with on the production are the same original blends in 4 oz  bottles. Each package weighs 1.3oz in a 4 oz bottle. No MSG, No sugar and nothing artificial. Organically sourced. 

Wise Woman of the East: Saigon cinnamon, spices, citrus zest, lavender and rose petal. Freshly milled. 

Romantic Italian: Garlic, Onion, Spices, lemon zest, Pepper, Salt. Freshly milled for concentrated flavor.

All Purpose Seasoning: Onion, Garlic, Spices, Pepper, Salt. Freshly milled for concentrated flavor.

 They are available now in the ChefTessSpiceBlends Etsy shop. 

 

There's a Variety Starter-pack pack is the perfect starter pack for baking and cooking with three remarkable divine flavor profiles. The introduction to perfection.        

I just want to thank everyone for your support and love as we have been navigating this difficult transition and moving forward with our lives. If you've been one of the many who have asked over the years where they can get the spices, I hope this will be a great answer. Also, please don't hesitate to reach out to me for bulk pricing. If these are successful we hope to launch larger sized bottles and so forth. Until then, private sales of larger bags and batches can be discussed via email: cheftessblends@gmail.com 

There you go!

Always My Very Best,

Chef Tess (AKA Stephanie Petersen)