The Spice & Tea Exchange

Ready to beat the winter doldrums? Want to ramp up your winter kitchen? Explore The Spice & Tea Exchange at Mashpee Commons, where they have an intriguing assortment of exotic teas and spice blends to cover everything from your favorite cuppa to the stew pot with flavors foreign and familiar.

Located conveniently close to Williams Sonoma in Mashpee Commons Central Square, The Spice & Tea Exchange features 47 teas and a cook’s dream of amazing spices. “We make all our custom blends in the store. We have steak rubs, things for the grill, and spices for fish, chicken, curries, and burgers,” said The Spice & Tea Exchange manager Michelle LaCroix.

New to Mashpee Commons, The Spice & Tea Exchange is one of 70 stores nationwide and the only one in Massachusetts. Founded in 2008 as a small shop St. Augustine, Florida, The Spice & Tea Exchange is now a national franchise powered by flavor and the desire to bring flavorful ingredients to your kitchen.

Part of the fun of visiting The Spice & Tea Exchange is tasting the product. “You can spend hours in here between tasting and smelling spices, teas and salts. We have samples, such as the popular Tuscany blend dip, which is an easy way to jazz up grilled fish. Our spices are from all over the world, and you can enhance everything you cook,” said LaCroix.

Inspiration abounds as you peruse smoked, savory and spicy salts enhanced with strong flavors to bring out the best of your ingredients. Explore lime and ghost pepper salts, beautifully colored Himalayan salts and Chardonnay-tinged salt flavored in old French wine barrels. Cape Codders will especially appreciate the delicate fleur de sel, a perfect sprinkle for swordfish.

You can buy spices loose or by the ounce, in blends or mixed with oils. Sage with oil bread dip is especially popular, and cooks love the variety of black pepper and corresponding pepper mills. Whole spices, herbs and powders combine the usual suspects with more exotic things, such as beetroot and blue cheese powder as well as a variety of cinnamon powders. There are curry blends and Arabic blends to bring warmth to your dishes, meat blends and rubs for the grill, and grinder blends to enhance anything. The Spice & Tea Exchange is a great place to rejuvenate your winter kitchen.

If all those spices leave you thirsty, wander on over to the tea section. You’ll find everything from super traditional Earl Grey and breakfast teas to ultra-modern matcha. There are also flavored sugars to enhance both tea and baked goods, and a selection of teapots and infusers for best brewing options.

This winter LaCroix plans to offer a series of talks, tastings and demonstrations at the storefront. Find future events on Facebook at facebook.com/TSTEMashpee

The Spice & Tea Exchange
13 Central Square, Mashpee Commons
spiceandtea.com/spicestorepage/store/front/id/85