E and i tend to fall more in the tea drinker category then on the coffee drinker side. don't get me wrong, i love a good cup of espresso or a caramel latte. i tend to like a little coffee with my milk. but i love chai tea. chai for me green for E.
i can't tell you how many different boxes of chai tea i have in our tea cabinet but it's getting a little ridiculous. i finally decided to brew my own. i thought the first try would be undrinkable. i thought it would take me try after try after try to be successful. perhaps that is why i put it off for so long. too bad i did because i thought the first batch was pretty darn good.
i mixed cinnamon sticks with whole cloves, fresh ginger, whole peppercorns, allspice seeds, cardamom pods, and vanilla black tea. a little agave nectar and the result was a slightly sweet, spicy, smooth, and creamy chai. i think next time i'll go a bit spicier but it was not bad for the first try, not bad at all.
a tall mug of this sweet goodness was fuel for our beautiful fall hike. it was quite the haul to the top, but the view was worth it!
Chai Tea
(makes 8-10 servings)
2-inch piece fresh ginger, cut into thin rounds
2 cinnamon sticks
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
12 whole cloves
4 allspice seeds
8 cardamom pods
6 cups cold water
6 bags of vanilla black tea (I used mighty leaf)
1/3 cup agave nectarcombine all ingredients except black tea and agave in a medium saucepan over medium heat. bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer. let simmer for 10-15 minutes. remove from heat, add tea and let steep for 10 minutes. add agave and stir until dissolved. strain and store in airtight container.
when ready to use, pour a cup of half tea and add half milk and warm until hot. enjoy!
Just going through the archives when I saw this. The pictures look great and thanks for the recipes
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