Chai Me Up, Buttercup

Ingredients:

Organic Assam tea
Organic cinnamon
Organic roasted cardamom
Organic ginger root
Organic cloves
Organic star anise
Organic coriander
Organic allspice
Organic nutmeg
Organic safflower petals

What’s in the tea?

This chai brings layers of spice to a base of bold black Assam tea. Named after its birthplace, the Assam region of northeastern India, Assam tea has a rich, malty feel. It is wonderful all by itself, but it also holds up well to the addition of chai spices.

In this blend, cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, cloves, allspice, and a small amount of anise lay the groundwork for traditional chai flavor. The cinnamon is freshly ground from whole-stick cinnamon, and the cardamom is freshly roasted for each batch, which adds depth to the flavor. The ginger is dried in small batches from fresh organic ginger root. The other spices are hand-crushed with a mortar and pestle. I chose to bring in coriander for its digestive support. Coriander is known to help with anxiety and stomach tension, and its cooling energy balances the fiery energy of the other spices. The addition of freshly-grated nutmeg rounds out this chai. Though black pepper is a popular addition I left it out, finding that I preferred my chai a bit softer. And last but not least, safflower petals bring their floral essence, beauty, and energy. This flower brings a light breath to the spice-heaviness, and a beautiful reddish hue to the finished tea. This chai is not the darkest, strongest chai you will find, but it has layers of rich flavor. It’s a pleasant chai to sip on its own, but it also holds up well to the addition of cream and honey, if you prefer.

Steeping Guidelines:

2 teaspoons tea to 8 ounces water
Water temp: full boil
Steep time: 5-7 minutes 

A note on steeping guidelines: Personally, I always give my chai a second steep for a second cuppa. The flavors hold up well.

Tea Story:

I’ve always loved chai. Plain, sweetened, frothed with milk, whisked with pumpkin, hot or iced – it didn’t matter. There are many good chai blends out there. You really can’t go wrong with this combination of spices. But as tea took over my life more and more, I couldn’t resist dabbling in chai blending. Eventually, I settled on this one. I fell in love with the slower way of using the mortar and pestle to grind the spices, though I do need to use the electric spice grinder for the cinnamon and ginger. This one is named in honor of a dear friend of mine who had come for a visit. I asked her what tea I could make for her. “Chai me up!” was her reply.

“In this universe, we are given two gifts:
the ability to love, and the ability to ask questions;
which are, at the same time,
the fires that warm us
and the fires that scorch us.”

-Mary Oliver

Please note: All statements regarding the healing properties of the plants in this blend have not been evaluated by the FDA. This tea is not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any medical condition. All ingredients are clearly listed. Do your research, use caution, and please consult a doctor before drinking if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking any medications. While the tea and spices in this blend are generally considered safe, each body is different. Take your tea with care.