I often find chai a little bit too aggressive. It’s SO. MANY. SPICES. It’s sometimes bitter, or overbearing with the cinnamon. Many people seem to agree, since mixing milk into chai is the typical approach.
Plum Deluxe wondered: What if chai were combined with… cream? Naturally? Without you having to add sugar or milk in yourself?
As a dessert tea aficionado and someone who travels around a bit, let me tell you, I am ALWAYS on board with such a notion. I don’t always just HAVE milk on me. Sometimes I want to throw some loose leaf in a travel container and GO. I want that sweetness, but not that effort.
This is a good solution to a problem you may have not considered. I’m really happy that this happened. Give it a whirl!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Plum Deluxe
Description
Full Moon Chai was one of our original blends, now back with even more creative energy. We’ve taken our classic, signature masala chai and added a splash of vanilla butternut extract. This simple twist adds a depth, warmth, and vibrancy to your traditional chai, and also gives the flavor a hint of sweetness and creaminess without having to add lots of sugar or milk (though we do like this blend prepared as a traditional masala chai or chai latte).
It makes a great pairing for those indoor days where you need something warm and comforting. It’s also a lovely companion for those moments when you need a high-caffeine blend to give you focus and momentum, and it’s even good for a delicious chai cocktail or three!
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Arawak Chai / Pasion Tea
Back in April I went on a mom-cation with my sister.
On the island of Nassau one of my main missions was to find a traditional tea or tisane.
Thanks to Google I found two different stores that sold tea but there didn’t seem to be a specific Nassau blend at either.
I picked up a chai at the first shop and didn’t like the sales tactics used at the second shop so didn’t buy anything there. At the time when I bought the chai I didn’t know what Arawak was.
Apparently the Arawak are a group of indigenous peoples of South America and the Caribbean who, unfortunately, are believed to be extinct (though I am sure some of their heritage lives on in that of their ancestors). Why they decided to name this chai that I am unsure of though.
As far as I can tell it has the same ingredients as most other chai, though the dried cardamom and black pepper pods seem more pronounced. The taste and dry aroma are lovely. A steeping time of at least four minutes is advisable though.
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Pasion Teas
Description:
The website is currently under construction
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Green Tea Chai by Vahdam Teas
Steeped with a heaping tablespoon of leaves at 175 degrees in about 1 cup of water.
This tea was a new experience for me! I’ve tried lots of flavored green teas, but never one where the green tea was a substitute for black tea in a chai blend. As a result of this tea, I’ve realized how different these spices are outside of a conventional chai context and how much I take the black tea base for granted in chai blends!
As it steeps, I can detect a fragrance of spices; it smells like cinnamon and possibly cloves. The tea liquid isn’t very dark. In fact it’s only achieved a pale honeylike color after it’s finished steeping; it’s a little viscous, with nearly invisible flecks (of cinnamon, perhaps?) swimming in it.
The flavor is very different from any chai I’ve ever tried. The spices, instead of melding with a malty black tea flavor to form a rounded flavor profile, are instead mingling with the bright astringent green tea notes (grassy almost, but not much on the floral side that I can detect). This makes for a very focused flavor overall. It’s highly concentrated in the bright and forward flavor notes and not so much rounded out with the deeper tones that a black tea normally imparts to a chai (in my experience). It’s almost bitter, but then again, I may have oversteeped it a bit–I like my chais strong.
With milk, it’s suddenly not very strong at all. It still has spice flavors, but I’m really missing the black tea base here. And I know you aren’t really “supposed” to put milk in green tea, but that’s what I normally do with chai so I figured why not?
So to sum up, don’t expect this to taste like a more conventional chai! Instead, expect a bright, spicy, focused flavor that’s intended to be enjoyed alone or with a little sweetener; I recommend trying it without milk. In fact, I bet this would make a great iced tea!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Green
Where to Buy: Vahdam Teas
Description
A superior blend of fresh green tea from Darjeeling blended with choicest Indian spices like Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove & Black Peppercorns. Discover a smooth fulfilling aroma of fresh greens with delicious undertones of raw spices in every sip. The liquor is bright green with an energizing aroma. A unique chai tea which can be served with or without milk.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
Masala Chai from Hope & Glory
I readily admit that I’m not a huge fan of straight chai tea but I do love my chai lattes. I call them a hug in a cup. A couple years ago my hubby bought me a Breville Frother for Christmas. At first I didn’t think I would use it very often, but I have found I use it all the time. I love making my stepsons chai lattes at night while we have our family time. So when Hope & Glory’s Masala Chai showed up at my door, I couldn’t wait to make the kids lattes.
I prepped my milk up and water and set about steeping the tea and frothing the milk. In just a few minutes I had amazing looking lattes that looked like they were from a coffee house. I even sprinkled nutmeg on the top to give the lattes that added flair.
We all eagerly awaited a few moments to let the tea cool and took our first sip. These lattes were amazing! The chai was a subtle yet flavorful blend that gave you all those warming and familiar chai notes. There was a distinct cardamom and clove note in every sip that was sweetened and heightened by the frothed milk and cinnamon flavors. I also added in a quick swirl of honey that helped bring in a sweeter note to combat the spicy tones of the chai blend.
Even tho this tea tasted amazing, what I loved even more was the convenience factor of this blend. Each serving is individually wrapped so that all you have to do is prep your water and pour the tea in. No measuring, no worrying about overleafing the tea pot. Just gorgeous chai tea to enjoy. Doesn’t get easier or tastier than this!
Here’s the scoop!
Leaf Type: Black
Where to Buy: Hope & Glory
Description:
A full-bodied blend of organic Ceylon black tea and spices, Masala Chai derives from the Hindi literally meaning ‘mixed-spice tea’. Spices such as cardamom and cinnamon have been expertly blended to give a warming, rich blend of flavours and a sweet aroma.
Learn even more about this tea and tea company here!
