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The Cheer of a Holiday Chai
When thinking about tea room recipes for November, a selection of Chai teas just seemed like a natural choice for the season. Chai teas are spicy and warm, and can be heavily caffeinated or have no caffeine at all. One thing is certain though, almost everyone can find a chai that they adore!
Dinner Party Chai
Robert K. Henderson, Tea Formulator
This chai goes well with long conversations after a dinner gathering. The ingredients, available in most supermarkets, are simmered, and then strained; then black tea is steeped in the strained liquid.
To brew 6 cups
3 slices fresh ginger root
6 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
1 whole cinnamon stick, crushed
3 whole black peppercorns
1/4 teaspoon aniseed
7 teaspoons black tea
6 1/2 cups cold water
6-8 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons honey
Coarsely crush the cinnamon, coriander, and cloves in a mortar and pestle. Place water and spice in a saucepan; simmer gently for 10 to 18 minutes (do not boil.) Strain the mixture into a warmed teapot; add the tea leaves and steep for 3 to 5 minutes. Strain into cups; serve with milk and honey.
Never-Caffeinated Chai
Caroline MacDougall, Tea Formulator
Rooibos (pronounced ROY-bush) is a deep red herbal tea from South Africa that's available in some health food stores. Its body and flavor are similar to those of black tea, but rooibos is free of caffeine. This spiced rooibos tea comes close to the flavor of chai made with black tea.
To brew 6 cups
2 tablespoons rooibos
7 inches of cinnamon stick, shredded
A 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root, finely chopped
1-teaspoon chicory, roasted
1-teaspoon cardamom seeds
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 whole star anise
1/2 teaspoon cloves
6 cups water
Milk and honey to taste
Coarsely crush the spices in a mortar and pestle or coffee grinder; combine with rooibos in a 6-cup teapot. Add just-boiled water and steep for 10 minutes. Strain into cups. Add milk and honey to taste.
220-Volt Chai
Sheron Buehele, Tea Formulator
This is a "stayed up all night writing that presentation and need to be on fire to sell it today" chai. Or an "I've got three days of work to cram into the next five hours" chai. It packs a boot to the head and a bite to the tongue. If you're wondering why this and other chais are strained twice, it's simply to prevent the simmered spices from clogging the neck of your teapot.
To brew 4 to 5 cups
1/4 teaspoon whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole coriander
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger root (or 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh, but do not
use powdered)
1/2 teaspoon whole white peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1-teaspoon cardamom seeds
1-teaspoon whole allspice
1 teaspoon cut and sifted Siberian ginseng
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated whole nutmeg
1 whole star anise
3 sticks of cinnamon
3 cups cold water
1 heaping tablespoon of strong black tea leaves
2 cups of milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coarsely crush the whole spices in a mortar and
pestle in small batches; combine. Add spice mixture and water to a saucepan
and bring to a simmer; cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add tea leaves to a warmed teapot. Pour the simmered spices-and water mixture
through a strainer into the teapot. Cover with a tea cozy or towel and
allow steeping for 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat milk to just below simmer. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
Put 11/2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste, in the bottom of each cup.
Fill halfway with tea, and then top off with vanilla milk and stir.
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