Indulge Your Senses: Chai Tea

I’ve been a Chai Tea infuser before its inception into the mainstream. Gone are the days of odd looks from cafe staff when asking for a Chai Latte let alone a Chai with a side of soy milk and honey. Good times.

Rewind 8 years – typical dialogue

“Can I please have a Chai Tea with a side of soy milk and honey?”

“Say what?! What’s a Chai?” says mortified café staff member

Feeling like I’ve just asked for a kidney, I calmly explain “Chai Tea is essentially: a black tea consisting of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper and ginger”

Long pause…

“That doesn’t sound very appetizing.  How does one make this?” says café

“Like an English Breakfast, you put two teaspoons of Chai Tea into a tea pot/infuser and leave in hot water. Generally served sweet, so a side of milk and honey would be good.”

“Oh, ok.  Well, we don’t have anything like that here.” says café

*Sighs*

“I’ll just have an English breakfast then….”

*Sighs again*

Today, Chai seems to be the new latte slowly outshining the other tea varieties.

For those who love the spicy yet sweet taste of this tea, but like me, doesn’t have the patience waiting for it to properly infuse, thankfully, there is a savior.

From the makers of Australia’s number 1 drinking chocolate*, The Bean Alliance (Indulge Your Senses) have developed a new range called Pure Chai. Courtesy of Rachel from Polarity Consultants, my taste buds were pampered with a taste. There are three great things about this product.

1. Two flavours : Honey & Vanilla and Chocolate
2. It comes in powder form. A time saver.
3. It can be served chilled!

Did you know?

The Bean Alliance was formerly known as Monte Coffee,. They have been sourcing, roasting and distributing fresh coffee around Australia since 1981.

How to consume

As a person who likes to experiment with his food, of course I chose to make it chilled. Ice Ice baby…and the music plays.

1. Fill a glass to the ¾ mark with full cream milk (yes full cream dieters) and chuck in two heaped teaspoons of Honey and Vanilla Pure Chai
2. Stir like crazy. It shouldn’t take too long to blend in nicely
3. Chuck in a handful of ice cubes
4. Like a hot Chai, sit down and drink slowly- it isn’t a milkshake!

Result: Just like a freshly infused batch, the powder surprisingly satisfies in half the time. This is the first time I’ve had a chilled Chai and it certainly won’t be the last. No need to add any sweetener with the honey and vanilla evident throughout.

A perfect summer thirst quencher. The Chocolate version was also good but I couldn’t really taste the Chai. But it did resolve a chocolate craving I was having the other day.  Chai Punch anyone?!

Food Rehab Verdict: Taste buds in rehab. Passed.

 *As voted on Choice blind test (June 2008)

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