Preparing a Proper “Chai Tea Latte”

A Chai Wallah in India is a street vendor who serves a typical and deliciously-flavored hot tea.These specialists blend hot milk with tea leaves and other spices to serve warming cups of the beverage to passing-by customers on their way to and from work. Chai, the Hindi word for tea, has become known in the U.S. as a flavored spiced tea and has grown in popularity as a healthier and spicier alternative to the usual trough of acidic coffee.

But, did you know you could make this beverage at home for a fraction of the cost and with much less sugar than your local coffee shop? Give it a try! If you don’t already have a chai blend at home you can try making your own by starting with a base of black tea leaves and adding pinches of your favorite warming spices.

Some of my favorites include cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds, nutmeg, coriander, allspice—maybe even a peppercorn or two. You could also use a different tea base, rooibos, or even keep it a caffeine-free tisane by adding apples or oranges.

After you steep your brew for 3-5 minutes, remove the tea leaves from your cup of tea. In a separate cup, melt honey or stevia with a little hot water to create a simple syrup and then mix in cream or milk. Finally, pour the tea back and forth with the milk mixture (or use a small, handheld frother) to make your brew frothy, and voila! You now have a light and delicious chai latte made just to your liking. If you love chai and want to try a great blend to use as your latte base, try Do You Tea’s Darjeeling Chai made with Darjeeling tea leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds, black peppercorns, and vanilla. Another great spiced blend is the new Gingerbread winter blend which has oolong tea leaves with ginger, cloves, cinnamon, and vanilla.

Kelley Scruby is the owner of Do You Tea? in Hoboken, New Jersey. As the owner of a small, loose leaf tea business, Kelley is passionate about educating her customers on the benefits that come from drinking loose leaf tea. With a background at a major tea company, she was able to become an expert on the versatility of the beverage and is inspired in her own creations by the changing of the seasons and also desserts. Kelley created Do You Tea? with the confidence that she can help find a tea blend that works for any of her customers’ lifestyle and palate. As Do You Tea? continues to grow, Kelley hosts events and tastings that add a more interactive approach to the expansive world of loose leaf teas. Do You Tea? hopes to have a truck out on the streets of the NYC metro area soon! You are able to purchase her seasonal blends and gift sets online at www.doyoutea.com and follow her on instagram and twitter @doyoutea for updates on tastings and new blends. Please email requests and questions to doyoutea@gmail.com.

Source: http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-10-30/if-youve-never-seen-tea-wallah-here-are-photos-fresh-india

The information supplied in this article is not to be considered as medical advice and is for educational purposes only.