After infusing extra thoughtfulness with a touch of culinary artistry, Tay Stratton found the formula for her very own spice and tea company, Fennel and Fire. For more than a decade, she has given at-home chefs across the country the chance to start their day off with organic, rich loose-leaf tea and end it with a meal elevated by artisan spice blends.
“I wanted to create spices and teas that make it easy to bring wonderful flavor and a little sense of occasion into everyday life," she says.
Tay, who grew up on a farm in the Delta, carries an everlasting appreciation for plants and their culinary uses.
“I’ve always loved hosting dinner parties and experimenting with flavors to create something special for friends and family,” she says.
In 2015, Tay cooked up the concept for Fennel and Fire after deciding she wanted to share her homemade blends with more than just a few people. At the end of every dinner party, Tay's guests always had the same burning question: “What spice mix did you use?”
Now, she’s the one asking the questions. How will this blend make everyday cooking easier? Does it use the highest quality ingredients? Is it better than anything like it? If the answer isn’t yes to all three, Tay keeps experimenting. This degree of dedication and attentiveness guarantees Fennel and Fire will ignite every last taste bud.
After the spices and teas are developed at the main storefront and crafting house, they make their way to farmers' markets, festivals, tastings and the online shop.
“Some of my favorite relationships have come from standing beside other small businesses and farmers at markets week after week. You begin by sharing a tent or a Saturday morning, and somewhere along the way you become part of each other's lives,” she says.
Instead of a cup of joe in the morning, Tay brews Daybreak, a black tea uniting sweet peaches with golden calendula petals. For dinner, she regularly reaches for Veggie Heaven, Pasta Toss or Black Garlic Salt. Her Passport to Flavor Collection can also add a dash of a different culture to any meal — like Athena’s Garden, which melds rosemary and peppercorns for a bright Mediterranean tang. The end of supper calls for a warm cup of Winter Chai.
“Our goal is to inspire you to find your own rhythm in the kitchen," she says. "Open the pantry, let the blends inspire you and turn what you already have into something delicious.”
For more information or to place an order, visit fennelandfire.com.
The process behind creating a spice or tea blend
It Starts with an Idea
Every blend begins with an inspiration — a favorite dish, a place, a season or simply a flavor Tay wants to bring to life. From there, she decides what she wants the finished blend to feel and taste like.
Building the Flavor
Next, she begins pairing spices, herbs, teas or botanicals that can create that flavor naturally. Each ingredient has a purpose, whether it adds warmth, brightness, depth, aroma or balance.
Blend, Taste & Adjust
Then comes the experimenting: small test batches are blended, tasted and adjusted again and again. Sometimes the smallest change can completely transform the finished cup or dish.
Put It to the Test
A spice blend has to work in a real kitchen, and a tea has to taste wonderful cup after cup. Tay tests her blends as her customers would use them, making sure they’re flavorful, approachable and easy to enjoy.
First Batch
Only when a blend tastes just right does it become part of Fennel & Fire. Then it’s blended in small batches, packaged and ready to help make an everyday meal or cup of tea feel a little more special.
“I wanted to create spices and teas that make it easy to bring wonderful flavor and a little sense of occasion into everyday life."