Chai Experiment

I know that it is August and here in the NW it is H-O-T hot, but I am already preparing for fall. I think that there are a lot of factors at play. My family moved into a new home, it is beautiful and has been home since the second we signed the papers. It feel like this house was built for us. So, new home means another phase of nesting. Another meaning I experienced the first after having my daughter.

As you may have seen from some previous posts I am trying to do a bit of food analysis. I have definitely given up on the frozen boxed lunch. I have made it several weeks in fact! Trying to take more advantage of the goodness of our markets and local grub. But, if you know me, you know I love my chai tea! It has gone by the wayside for some time because it is fairly high in calories. In visiting some blogs I watch, I came across this chai tea recipe- can be found here.

Chai

* 1 1/2 cups of water
* 1 whole cinnamon stick)
* 1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
* 1 heaping teaspoon cardamon seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
(note I sliced some ginger, working on enhancing my kitchen tool repertoire)
* 2/3 cup milk
* 2 tablespoons honey
* 1 tablespoon loose black tea

Bring water and spices to a boil and simmer (covered) for 10 minutes. Add milk and honey; return to the boil. Remove chai from heat and add the tea. Cover and steep for two minutes.

(This recipe was taken from the aforementioned blog. I made some note, but stuck to the recipe.)

As it is a cardinal rule to try the original recipe first I did. Technically speaking she give the option to use powdered or whole. I typed the recipe for what I used. I think that next time I am going to do a variation using nutmeg. I am sure that down the line I will even write an Ode to Nutmeg!



This chai is yummy! I don't think it is so perfect that I am sworn off store bought though. But I think that with time I will tweak this to perfection! Maybe experimenting with different sweeteners, a different variety of spice, who knows.

What I do know is that all things spicy remind me of the best time of year, autumn. Folks, it is around the corner. I was looking out the window of my office to see the tops of trees starting to turn. Fall will be here before we know it. And with some new experiments with cooking and some recent preserving I am all the more ready!