Generalized chai rant/rambling: I can’t for the life of me figure out what it is about me and chai. I should like it, I always want to like it, I love the spices involved…but it never quite clicks into place. I sense I’m just not doing it right, whether prepared like a standard tea, done with all the effort on the stovetop with milk, or simply cut with creamy sweet additions. Like I’m expecting some magical extra quality like the kind in Indian restaurants, something buttery smooth AND magically warming beyond usual tea, and it never comes or it comes in mere hints or mangled with gross aftertastes or other effects. Hm.
This comes really close though, close enough I think if I can prep it just right I’ll have found my peace. I’ve noticed perplexingly enough while I favor strong spicing in cooking and cocktails in chai I seem to like when things are a little gentler. Herbal Infusions’ Creme Brulee Chai is quite gently spiced as these things go, more on the creamy sweet end of the spectrum as opposed to hotly spiced, and this is also on that end, for the better in my opinion. The smell is fantastic, possibly the best aroma of a chai I’ve tried so far. It really does evoke bread pudding, that rich creamy slightly boozed up haze of baked cinnamon and nutmeg. And it is good made like a standard tea. Then I go mucking things up adding some raw sugar and dairy and it loses its punch and a sticky sickly aftertaste shows up I’m pretty sure wouldn’t otherwise. Eurgh. I’m going to try giving it the latte treatment next time, no added sweetener, and see if that works well. Definitely among my favorite chais tried so far, but I just feel like I could hit perfection if I keep tweaking prep somehow…so close…
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I have pretty much given up on ever learning to love chai. I tolerate it and sometimes even like it (Simple Loose Leaf Winter Chai) but apparently I will never love it. Better luck to you.
I love chai, & there is a sample of this one, waiting for the end to my sipdown madness…taunting me…
I also don’t always have the best of luck making it at home, however. I know it would be more delicious made with real milk, which I can’t have, & if I steep the spices in simmering ‘other milks’ (like coconut or almond, or even better yet, a mix of both), It takes forever to go through the strainer! I guess I could try putting the spices in one of the paper tea steeping bags, but I feel that would confine them. Sometime I make a really strong concoction in water & then cut in the hot milk after straining, but it always ends up seeming weak…sigh…
yeah, it sounds like we have similar experiences Terri! alas. it can be SO GOOD, i know it can, when i get indian for lunch it always is—but i can’t figure out how to make it super good but also not a big PITA late at night to mess with. hrm.
There are so many variables that you can make chai twice the same way and get a different result. Even though I usually don’t take milk or sugar, here’s how I do this one: First clear your mind of “cup of tea” . This is a dessert treat. Then put a double helping of the chai in a saucepan and add 250mls of milk and two teaspoons of sugar or even better, honey. Put it on the lowest heat setting and allow it to come up to drinking temperature , if that takes ten minutes or so, all the better. Strain and drink.
thanks for the advice!
Robert!! I just wanted to let you know I made the rest of my sample per your instructions today for afternoon tea with the husband since it’s Friday and Valentine’s Day, and it was super delicious! The first chai I’ve made that was as good as my favorite local Indian restaurant’s. Thank you so much!
:) . It’s great the way that worked out!
I have pretty much given up on ever learning to love chai. I tolerate it and sometimes even like it (Simple Loose Leaf Winter Chai) but apparently I will never love it. Better luck to you.
I love chai, & there is a sample of this one, waiting for the end to my sipdown madness…taunting me…
I also don’t always have the best of luck making it at home, however. I know it would be more delicious made with real milk, which I can’t have, & if I steep the spices in simmering ‘other milks’ (like coconut or almond, or even better yet, a mix of both), It takes forever to go through the strainer! I guess I could try putting the spices in one of the paper tea steeping bags, but I feel that would confine them. Sometime I make a really strong concoction in water & then cut in the hot milk after straining, but it always ends up seeming weak…sigh…
yeah, it sounds like we have similar experiences Terri! alas. it can be SO GOOD, i know it can, when i get indian for lunch it always is—but i can’t figure out how to make it super good but also not a big PITA late at night to mess with. hrm.
There are so many variables that you can make chai twice the same way and get a different result. Even though I usually don’t take milk or sugar, here’s how I do this one: First clear your mind of “cup of tea” . This is a dessert treat. Then put a double helping of the chai in a saucepan and add 250mls of milk and two teaspoons of sugar or even better, honey. Put it on the lowest heat setting and allow it to come up to drinking temperature , if that takes ten minutes or so, all the better. Strain and drink.
thanks for the advice!
Robert!! I just wanted to let you know I made the rest of my sample per your instructions today for afternoon tea with the husband since it’s Friday and Valentine’s Day, and it was super delicious! The first chai I’ve made that was as good as my favorite local Indian restaurant’s. Thank you so much!
:) . It’s great the way that worked out!