Chai

[Newfie]

Sooooooo, Saturday evening, after dinner, I'm making a coffee in the Press and The bride is making a pot of tea. She's been drinking Green Tea for a while and basically, I'd rather have an ice cube melted in hot water.

I notice the box the tea came out of is green, and think nothing of it. Then she pours the water and a waft of Cardamom and Cloves mixed with other scents I couldn't readily identify comes across my nose. I ask "What's that?" She says "The Green Tea I bought last week, you were with me!"

Move ahead a few minutes to after I finished my coffee and I tried a cup of her Chai. WOW!!!

So last night I made a stronger pot than she makes and it was even better. I spent 2 hours reading about Chai while I was enjoying that and learned quite a bit, including that Chai should be drank sweetened and with milk.

I can read her mind though and she's thinking "Cigar sites, coffee sites, shaving sites and now Chai!! I wonder what this is going to cost us???":lol:

So, tonight is a trip to a spice store to get some cinnamon stocks, Cardamom pods and some cloves. Chai Latte for dessert tonight Honey!!!!

Thanks to all who posted various info & links here (search worked great:biggrin:) and an apology to all who I chuckled at behind their backs for "Drinking Chai tea!!!"

[Tarzan]

btw, chai (written tsai in greek ) is the greek word for tea:lol::lol::lol:

Vive Cuervo:cool:

Panos

[Newfie]

btw, chai (written tsai in greek ) is the greek word for tea:lol::lol::lol:

Vive Cuervo:cool:

Panos

Cool, I thought it was actually an Indian word for Tea!!! I read somewhere last night that saying "Chai Tea" is like saying "Coffee coffee"!

[SmoovD]

I like the chai- green more than black but both are fine. Generally, I use honey and soy milk and a green tea chai. When I am feeling sickly I will use a bit of condensed milk with some honey for the sweetness. Hits the spot.

[Spaceman_Spiff]

Cool, I thought it was actually an Indian word for Tea!!! I read somewhere last night that saying "Chai Tea" is like saying "Coffee coffee"!

It's more like saying "Tea tea". :lol:

[Newfie]

It's more like saying "Tea tea". :lol:

HEY, you speak your language and I'll speak mine!!!!:tongue::biggrin:

[Bluestaco]

Ain't it good?:biggrin:

A guy from northern India moved in next door to me and taught me how to make it. It's less complicated than I thought; he just uses lots of loose black tea, adds sugar, ginger, cardamom pods, cloves, and milk, then strains it into a glass. I was never a tea drinker, really (when healthy), but I have kind of taken to chai.

[Rufus]

Newfie, I'm a big Chai drinker and I buy President's Choice Memories of India Masala Chai; available at Loblaws and Fortinos. I follow the instructions on the label: simmer the Chai mixture in water for about 5 minutes, add milk and bring it to a boil, then add sugar and enjoy.

[Rufus]

HEY, you speak your language and I'll speak mine!!!!:tongue::biggrin:

Now that's an interesting statement coming from a Newfie.

[Newfie]

Now that's an interesting statement coming from a Newfie.

Lard tunderin' jazuz bye, you from Trawnna is ya????

[Spaceman_Spiff]

Now that's an interesting statement coming from a Newfie.

:lol: I wasn't going to say it...

[Rufus]

Lard tunderin' jazuz bye, you from Trawnna is ya????

That's where Ize lives, butze not where Ize from. Just say Ize a CFA.

[Newfie]

Newfie, I'm a big Chai drinker and I buy President's Choice Memories of India Masala Chai; available at Loblaws and Fortinos. ....snip

Plenty of PC products available 'round here, so I'm gonna check that out, thanks.

Looking at the way everyone else (at least, most) drinks Chai, I feel like an oddball. I can't get a taste for it sweetened and with milk. I much prefer it black.

I've also made a couple of Lattes with it, and they're just too weak. I've been steeping the bag in 3-4 ozs of water for 5 minutes, and then adding 4-5 ozs of milk. Just hardly any flavour at all.

I'm going to try this weekend buying the spoces I don't already have at home and try making my own.

[Newfie]

That's where Ize lives, butze not where Ize from. Just say Ize a CFA.

So where do you come from? I grew up on the north shore of Conception Bay, place called Western Bay.

Oh yeah, IT'S MY THREAD AND I'LL JACK IT IF I WANT TO!!!!!:lol::tongue:

[Rufus]

So where do you come from? I grew up on the north shore of Conception Bay, place called Western Bay.

Oh yeah, IT'S MY THREAD AND I'LL JACK IT IF I WANT TO!!!!!:lol::tongue:

Let me put it this way: I'm not from any place in particular. I like to refer to myself as "a son of the British Empire"; bounced around Hong Kong, India, Singapore, South Africa, Rhodesia and came to Canada many moons ago to attend university and decided to stay. Spent three terrific weeks in Newfoundland last summer (including attending a wedding in Carbonear of a friend that lasted four days) and nearly grew gills from all the fish I ate; cod tongues every day. Now back to the topic of the thread. The PC Chai is loose in a tin and is a bit messy to make, but I find if you follow the instuctions it makes a very full-bodied, flavourful brew.

[Newfie]

snip...Spent three terrific weeks in Newfoundland last summer (including attending a wedding in Carbonear of a friend that lasted four days) and nearly grew gills from all the fish I ate; cod tongues every day.....snip

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, so THAT's how you know what a CFA was!!!!

Funny, 'cause Carbonear is ~ 20 minutes from where I grew up.

Thanks for the info on the tea, I have loose Earl Grey here and that's what I was going to use to make my Chai, but I'll try the PC for sure.

[Confuzius]

You can also get PC Chai tea in bags, they reccomend actually boiling it on the stovetop with milk and water for 5 minutes. I generally just steep it in boiling water and add some milk and sugar, sweetened condensed just dosn't do it for me.

EDIT: My grandmother was born and raised in Fogo Island, NF ;-)

[Rufus]

You can also get PC Chai tea in bags, they reccomend actually boiling it on the stovetop with milk and water for 5 minutes. I generally just steep it in boiling water and add some milk and sugar, sweetened condensed just dosn't do it for me.

EDIT: My grandmother was born and raised in Fogo Island, NF ;-)

Not Joe Batt's Arm by any chance?

[grayraven]

Hey, Newfie! Back on the subject of Chai. My wife is Indian, and makes some that is pretty awesome. If you want when she gets home I can post the recipe. It may be pretty similar to your neighbors, but since her family is from a different region it might add some variation. Also, on a slightly different note if you like milked teas then you should try some Tibetan butter tea. I think I still have a recipe around. Just let me know if you are interested.

[Rufus]

Hey, Newfie! Back on the subject of Chai. My wife is Indian, and makes some that is pretty awesome. If you want when she gets home I can post the recipe. It may be pretty similar to your neighbors, but since her family is from a different region it might add some variation. Also, on a slightly different note if you like milked teas then you should try some Tibetan butter tea. I think I still have a recipe around. Just let me know if you are interested.

Please post the recipes; I'm game for this kind of stuff.

[liege]

Just discovered a tin of International Sugar Free Chai Latte in the wife's cupboard stash. Pretty good stuff. Did I commit a sacrilege by using the instant? I may have to learn how to make the REAL stuff!

[grayraven]

Just discovered a tin of International Sugar Free Chai Latte in the wife's cupboard stash. Pretty good stuff. Did I commit a sacrilege by using the instant? I may have to learn how to make the REAL stuff!

My wife would say yes, but I still think the Pacific Chai powder mix tastes great. I don't have her recipe, but she did whip up some in no time when she made it for me. I think she should be home in an hour or so. I will post her recipe then.

My favorite recipe for butter tea is located here:

http://www.tanc.org/new_food/pocha.html

The black tea that I have found works best for me is Tazo Awake, but as the recipe says any black tea will work well. I will tell you that to mix the tea at the end a blender worked best for me, but in a pinch you can just pour it back and forth between two pots. Enjoy!