The local late night talk show at the Spokane Public Library's downtown branch is ready to make tummies rumble. Lilac City Live!'s next installment, on Thursday, Feb. 21, at 8 pm (doors open at 7 pm) includes a preview of Inlander Restaurant Week, this year happening Feb. 21 through March 2. In addition to a prerecorded segment with Restaurant Week Director Tamara McGregor all about the event and some of this year's exciting menu trends, show hosts Ryan Dean Tucker and Sean Glasow are chatting with Spokane chef and restaurateur Jeremy Hansen. For this year's Restaurant Week, Hansen is offering a preview of his planned new eatery Smoke & Mirrors, arriving later this year to replace his flagship downtown restaurant Santé. Hear about that and more, and then get started on your Restaurant Week reservations if you haven't yet — tables are already filling up. The full event guide and menus are being printed in the Feb. 21 edition of the Inlander, but all menus are currently posted online at InlanderRestaurantWeek.com. Additionally, stand-alone copies of the event guide can be picked up at all 107 participating restaurants and area STCU branches. (CHEY SCOTT)
SPICE & TEA EXCHANGE OPENS
Formerly Old Spice Traders, the Spice & Tea Exchange brings the world of good smells and tastes to home cooks, with franchises throughout the U.S. The retailer offers more than 140 spices, 16 naturally flavored sugars, 30 exotic teas, seasoned rice mixes, an array of salts, and assorted kitchen items, from tea strainers and dishware to soy candles. Versatile specialty blends are one of Spice & Tea Exchange's hallmarks. The Tuscany blend, for example, can be used with pasta, and to coat meat, such as chicken, prior to cooking. Or use it as an added flavoring for olive oil you might dip your bread in. The ginger turmeric herbal tea blend may be just the ticket to staying ahead of cold and flu season. Although the company's blended products cannot be certified organic, it is conscious of finding farmers with good labor standards and excellent growing practices, according to Judy McAfee, who recently opened the only Idaho location in Coeur d'Alene along with her husband, daughter and son-in-law. Celebrate Spice & Tea Exchange's grand opening on Saturday, March 2, with free gifts, a raffle and food samples by local chef Lesa LeBeau. Visit spiceandtea.com/coeur-dalene for details. (CARRIE SCOZZARO) ♦
