Food+Drink

The Chips Are Down

tea and spice shop adds crispy delights to its menu

Thom Fountain, photos by Andrea Paulseth |

FEELING CHIPPER? Half Moon Tea & Spice owner Jeff Mares tosses up a batch of the shop’s new kettle chips. Flavors include Spicy Bloody Mary, Thai Lime, and Tuscan Pizza.
FEELING CHIPPER? Half Moon Tea & Spice owner Jeff Mares tosses up a batch of the shop’s new kettle chips. Flavors include Spicy Bloody Mary, Thai Lime, and Tuscan Pizza.

When Half Moon Tea & Spice opened four years ago, owner Jeff Mares probably didn’t see snack food in his future. Over the last few months, though, the Eau Claire-based business (formerly known as Infinitea Teahouse) has expanded into the business of kettle chips, offering six unique flavors of the delectably crispy treats.

The business added spices to its repertoire last year and Mares said he was struggling to find a way for people to try different spices without purchasing them and cooking something up. He tried dip and popcorn (it wasn’t sticky enough), but to no avail. Mare’s mother happened to be passing through town one day and dropped off a sandwich and a bag of plain potato chips for her son, who suddenly had a “eureka” moment. The kettle chips had enough grease that the spices stuck perfectly, so he began experimenting.

Half Moon Tea & Spice’s kettle chips now come in six different flavors: Spicy Bloody Mary; Thai Lime; Tuscan Pizza; Rosemary, Parmesan and Garlic; BBQ Ranch; and Smoked Sea Salt & Pepper. The chips come from a Wisconsin company (making chips in Half Moon’s current space would be nearly impossible given the cooking time required) and are hand-seasoned and packaged. And even with that, growing the business caused some sacrifices to be made. Half Moon Tea & Spice’s downtown location is now closed Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday to accommodate chip production and packaging.

Mares said he experimented over four months and went through countless flavors and variations to get the six perfect blends that make up the product line. Each flavor has to have a precise ratio and combination of spices to get the right taste. Mares found those balances by having friends and customers try different chips and give their honest opinions. And Mares enjoys the trial-and-error process it takes.

“I find it weirdly fun to try to make a potato chip taste like something other than a greasy potato,” Mares said.

Currently you can find chips around Eau Claire at both Half Moon Tea & Spice locations – 112 E. Grand Ave. and at Oakwood Mall – and at a variety of shops, bars, and restaurants, including Pizza Plus, The Mousetrap, The Living Room, Bijou Bistro, and more. Mares said he is also working on getting the chips into area grocery stores. Once spring rolls in, the chips will also be available at area farmers markets.

Mares said if he’s learned anything from owning a business it’s that sometimes the weirdest ideas are the ones that stick, as long as you’re still having fun with them.
And when part of your job is to taste-test potato chips, it’s hard to imagine it’s not.

Find Half Moon Tea & Spice’s chips at either of their locations: 112 E. Grand Ave. and the Oakwood Mall as well as a variety of local bars, restaurants and shops. You can contact Half Moon at 715-514-1975.