My Love Affair With Chai
I lived in on the Oregon Coast for a number of years and that is where I my love affair with chai began. In the Pacific Northwest, where the weather may be gray, chilly and drizzly at almost any time of the year, one perfect way to escape the chill for a bit is to visit one of the dozens of coffee shops that literally stand on every corner. The ambience of these little havens from the cold is that of a warm cozy friend's house, where you can curl up in an overstuffed chair and read or sit at a tiny bistro table with your friends, sipping the perfect latte, nibbling on today's fresh chocolate almond biscotti. This atmosphere is almost addictive, but it can be a problem if you are not a coffee drinker.
So, most of these shops offer what I consider to be one of life's little secret pleasures, Chai. Chai is basically a fragrant, spicy tea, sweet and milky with a heavenly exotic flavor. The word "chai" itself means tea, so to call it chai tea is a bit redundant. Chai is Indian in origin where every household has their own special version, but the basic chai is the same. These days, you can purchase chai in several forms, from spiced tea bags to liquid mixes you just add milk to. But to truly enjoy chai, you must savor the aromas as well as the flavors. Several different recipes follow or you can try your own. My signature touch is that I use mace and drop of vanilla in my chai. If you have tried Chai already blended and didn't like it, try making your own. There is a world of difference.
Since this is a sweetened tea, if you do not use sugar, almost any sweetner will make an okay substitute. I have had chai made using Equal and Splenda and neither one was that bad, but unless you are just dead set against (or can't have) sugar or honey, I wouldn't ruin a potentially good chai with chemicals. I have also made a dry chai blend with non-fat powdered milk, which was pretty good, too, to take on camping trips. I just boiled water, brewed my strong black tea and added the dry mixture. You can drink chai hot or cold. Either way, it is delicious. Experiment and find you own way to make Chai! Or you can use the following link to see my favorite chai recipes.
CHAI, CHAI, CHAI
I lived in on the Oregon Coast for a number of years and that is where I my love affair with chai began. In the Pacific Northwest, where the weather may be gray, chilly and drizzly at almost any time of the year, one perfect way to escape the chill for a bit is to visit one of the dozens of coffee shops that literally stand on every corner. The ambience of these little havens from the cold is that of a warm cozy friend's house, where you can curl up in an overstuffed chair and read or sit at a tiny bistro table with your friends, sipping the perfect latte, nibbling on today's fresh chocolate almond biscotti. This atmosphere is almost addictive, but it can be a problem if you are not a coffee drinker.
So, most of these shops offer what I consider to be one of life's little secret pleasures, Chai. Chai is basically a fragrant, spicy tea, sweet and milky with a heavenly exotic flavor. The word "chai" itself means tea, so to call it chai tea is a bit redundant. Chai is Indian in origin where every household has their own special version, but the basic chai is the same. These days, you can purchase chai in several forms, from spiced tea bags to liquid mixes you just add milk to. But to truly enjoy chai, you must savor the aromas as well as the flavors. Several different recipes follow or you can try your own. My signature touch is that I use mace and drop of vanilla in my chai. If you have tried Chai already blended and didn't like it, try making your own. There is a world of difference.
Since this is a sweetened tea, if you do not use sugar, almost any sweetner will make an okay substitute. I have had chai made using Equal and Splenda and neither one was that bad, but unless you are just dead set against (or can't have) sugar or honey, I wouldn't ruin a potentially good chai with chemicals. I have also made a dry chai blend with non-fat powdered milk, which was pretty good, too, to take on camping trips. I just boiled water, brewed my strong black tea and added the dry mixture. You can drink chai hot or cold. Either way, it is delicious. Experiment and find you own way to make Chai! Or you can use the following link to see my favorite chai recipes.
CHAI, CHAI, CHAI
