Merkén: A Mapuche Spice Blend

Cacho de Cabra chilis used to make Merkén

 
Some time ago I was at a friend's house for a potluck dinner.  Her husband is Chilean and happens to be a chef (oh, poor unlucky me).  I entered their home and was greeted by this intoxicating scent that I couldn't quite put my finger on...but it grabbed hold of me and brought me over to a pot bubbling away upon the stovetop.  I peeked in and saw a delicious, hearty stew slow cooking and yet I still couldn't figure out what I was smelling.  I'm interested in all things food and so when I asked my friend, he told me the 'secret' ingredient was Merkén.  Oh!  Of course! Merkén!  Wait.  What the heck is Merkén?

It so happens Merkén is the tastiest spice blend I have perhaps ever tried in my LIFE.  It is smoky, hot, deep.  But what IS it?  Merkén is a spice blend that hails from the south of Chile.  Well, the reality is you can purchase Merkén from all parts of Chile, but the highest quality, most authentic spice blend is from the south.  Merkén is blended by the native Mapuche indians of Chile.  This piquant blend is typically made from the native Cacho de Cabra ("Goat's Horn") chili pepper, toasted coriander and salt.  Never has something seemingly so simple tasted so complex.  And guess WHAT?  My blog-reading friends - we're in luck. It so happens that my husband is also Chilean; we have family connections in Chile and they've been able to get us a quantity of top quality Merkén from the South for sale at All Things Tea/Charmed Spices.  It is a limited edition spice and I couldn't be more excited.  My shop is nestled in a quaint village setting.  We have a new fine dining restaurant moving in next door to us and the owner/head chef came in to introduce himself yesterday.  We exchanged pleasantries but the conversation quickly moved over to food and spice (as so often it does with foodie types).  I produced the Merkén for him to smell without uttering a word about its origin.  If those eyeballs of his weren't attached by an optical nerve, they'd have fallen out of his head right then and there.  Immediately he began dreaming up dishes he could use the blend for.  I'm pretty sure I didn't exist in that moment...and I totally understand.  So, yup.  It's THAT good.  True Merkén is NOT easy to come by in these parts of the world, and it's a treasure to behold.  So - the question that begs asking - HOW to employ this delicious blend?  Easy:

1,  Combine it with a high quality olive oil (check out Dana Shortt Gourmet for her impressive and extensive olive oil bar: www.danashortt.ca.) Pair this with a crusty bread for dipping.
2.  Infuse butter with Merkén and use it for bread, corn on the cob or even to top a grilled steak.
3.  Merkén is great for all things BBQ: steaks, fish, pulled pork, chicken.
4.  Use a touch of Merkén for your chilis, stews - the added depth will blow you away
5.  Add a touch to your favourite homemade mac and cheese casserole - cheese and smokiness are natural companions.

I've had the good fortune of spending time in Chile.  It is a gorgeous country.  The people are warm and wonderful and the food is wholesome and pure.  Merkén brings to me memories of my travels.  If you think you'd like to give it a whirl, please feel free to visit me at my shop: All Things Tea, 681 Belmont Avenue West, Kitchener.  If you aren't in town (or country!) - call me: 519-342-0559 - shipping can be arranged.  I'm happy to bring the magic of Merkén to Belmont Village -  may it cast its spell on you as it has me.  Buen provecho!

Painting with Tea

The painting you see above is entitled simply "Strength". It is a painting done entirely in ink and tea. And how fitting THAT is considering this painting was created in response to the disastrous earthquake in Japan. The piece speaks to human resolve as well as the terrifying force of nature. How poignant to paint with tea. Look at it closely...it is incredible.

Surely as a tea purveyor, I am supposed to blog about tea, right? It is my duty to discuss the health benefits, the growing regions, how to steep a proper cup...RIGHT? I can certainly do this. But not today. You see, I'm also a little secretly obsessed with art and its role in society, in culture...and in every day life. For me, art is a bit of an escape; it takes me to the same place as a good cup of tea. A veritable symbol of peace and serenity, it is. So what the heck, why not combine the two for a double hit of serenity? Sound good? Ya!

The notion of creativity fascinates me. One is limited solely by her own mind. So - throw caution to the wind, steep a stiff cup of tea and pull out your painting implements. Here we go! It has been noted that tea has been used as a medium even in ancient Chinese brush painting, so I suppose this art form has existed for many moons.

How to Paint with Tea

Tea is a natural pigment that can be used to stain paper (and other materials) to create different effects. Depending on the strength of your brew, you can create paintings that play with light and dark shading. The key is to use several different teas (and you can mix them) to obtain different colours/shades. The longer you steep your tea, the bolder your colour shall be (I know, sheer genius). Black tea will create a soft brown, cream or wheat-coloured stain. Green tea actually seems to produce a reddish colour (unless you use Japanese matcha - now THAT is green!). Fruit teas are fun to use for their vibrancy, as well as hibiscus tea. And rooibos! Tea (like paint) will typically dry a shade lighter than it appears when wet. Several applications are required for a darker stain.

I like to use watercolour paper to make tea paintings - kind of makes sense, I guess. I sketch out lightly what I want to paint and then go to it! You can use sponges, brushes, cloths, whatever you want to paint. A blowdryer is handy to have to help the drying process along - especially if you are needing to apply tea several times for a darker shade. Once I've got all my shading in place (which can sometimes take days for me....I love the tedium), I take an art pen and reinforce my drawing. It is amazing what you can create. All natural. Tea produces a really surreal effect, actually. For HARDCORE artists, you can allow your paintings to dry in the sun - this will secure their colour forevermore.

My husband thinks I may have been a witch in another time and place (hey - be nice...he means a GOOD witch, of course). Perhaps that explains my inexplicable attachment to the earth and all her offerings. Painting with tea - of course....why, naturally. Grab the brush by the bristles and try it out, folks. If nothing else, you can sip a good cup of tea while spreading your arty wings. Have fun!

Marvelous Masala Chai!

When a fellow tea lover asked if I would consider writing about chai, I leapt from my chair and answered with a resounding YES! In my excitement, I unfortunately spilled hot chai on myself and besides the seared skin and mildly hurt pride, I was very dismayed at wasting even the smallest drop of chai decadence!

What is chai tea? Redundant! That's what! No need to say "chai tea"...just 'chai' will do as the word's true meaning IS tea. Ask for a cuppa chai in India and they know just what you mean - and you'll indeed get a cup of wonderful tea (mostly likely an Assam or Darjeeling). However, in North America, 99% of the population will ask for a cup of chai and expect to get a milky, spicy, sweet tea that India is famous for. To get this in India, you'd have to ask for a Masala Chai. And that's what we should be calling it here, too. Call me picky!

History

Tea plants have grown wild in the Assam region of India since antiquity. However, South Asians for many moons viewed tea as an herbal medicine rather than a recreational type of drink. Some of the masala chai mixtures (which I'm willing to bet are different in almost every household across India) are derived from Ayurvedic medical texts. I find that fascinating. Could it be true? My love for masala chai is actually GOOD for me, too? Oh yes, indeed it is. More on that later. Sometime in the 1830s, the British East India Company grew concerned about the Chinese monopoly on tea. British colonists had noticed the existence of these Assamese tea plants and started to cultivate tea plantations locally (smart, I guess!). In 1870, something like 90% of the tea consumed in Great Britain was still of Chinese origin, but by 1900 this had dropped to 10% (replaced largely by tea grown in British India and British Ceylon). Wow. Keeping this in mind, black tea consumption inside India remained low until a promotional campaign by the British-owned India Tea Association in the early 20th century. The Association encouraged factories, mills, etc. to provide tea breaks for the workers. Tea was officially promoted as served in England - with small added amounts of both milk and sugar. The Association at first wasn't keen when independent vendors would add spices and increase the proportions of milk and sugar (really to save on the use of expensive tea leaves - thanks to the sheisters!). However, as we all well know, masala chai in its present form is firmly established as a beverage of choice not just in India, but the world over. History lesson over.


Traditional Preparation

While it may take a little longer than our I-wanted-it-yesterday society would like, preparing masala chai with patience and love will yield the most delicious thing you've ever tasted in your life. How's THAT for a bold statement? C'mon - we know when we slow things down a bit, appreciate every ingredient for what it is, things just TASTE BETTER. It's more rewarding. Tea drinkers....we know that, right?? I shudder when I hear people drift into the shop and talk about the delicious "Chai Tea Lattes" they've had at that mega coffee giant. First, ACK! CHAI TEA! REDUNDANT! Second....that mega coffee giant doesn't even use tea! It's an artificial, sickly sweet syrup. Booooo! Oops. That was an unintentional rant. My apologies (sort of).

The most simple method of making masala chai is to simmer a mixture of milk and water with a loose leaf tea, sweetener (meaning sugar or honey - your choice) and whole spices (always use whole spices - the experience is in the details, really). The solid tea and spice residues are strained off masala chai before serving. Methods may vary according to taste or local customs: some households might combine all ingredients together at the star, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately strain and serve. Others may leave the mixture simmering for a longer amount of time. So, here's what I do (and the truly fun part of masala chai it to PLAY and find what you like):

In a medium pot (Makes 3 cups):
2 cups 2% milk
1 cup water
3 heaping tsps. loose Darjeeling or Assam black tea
3 tsps. sugar (or honey - to your own taste)
3 green cardamom pods (make sure they have a vibrant green colour)
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean (opened, seeds scraped out into milk mixture)
Fresh grated ginger to taste
5 black peppercorns
3 - 4 cloves, whole
1 star anise, whole

Bring the mixture (over medium-low heat) to a slow simmer. I don't allow my mixture to come to a rapid boil. Simmer very gently for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover, and allow to steep 10-15 minutes (I like the spice flavours to really shine). Stir well, strain and serve. I like to serve my masala chai in a glass mug with a cinnamon stick as an accent. DROOL FEST!! Your house will smell amazing at this point.

When I was selling my house we had an open house what seemed to be EVERY weekend. I would ALWAYS make sure I had masala chai prepared and ready for the drinking. When I got home - it was gone. Each and every time.

Now, I should have had you all hooked at "chai", but if you're not entirely sold, here's the kicker: masala chai tea is HEALTHY. It really is! Yes, I know there's sugar in it, but you could replace the refined stuff with honey, I'm sure you could even use agave - whatever you want. But listen to THIS: like I mentioned before, masala chai is based in ancient Ayurvedic medicine. Besides the known health benefits of the tea plant (hellooooo antioxidants, we love you!), the traditional spices used in masala chai are known digestive aids, anti-inflammatories, and so much more. Not to mention, this rich drink has half the amount of caffeine of that coffee you have each morn.

So, for this gal, it's CHA CHA CHAI...all the way!