First of all, the terminology. In many places, including parts of Asia and Africa, and Eastern Europe the word "chai" simply translates to "tea." In South Asia, to say "chai" simply means black tea boiled with milk and water. What we think of in the US as "chai" is indicated by the term "masala chai" meaning "spiced tea." It is generally a black tea base with spices that often include cardamom, cinnamon, and cloves, among other spices.
Today's tea was supplied to me by Indonique. Indonique was founded in New Orleans in 2002 by George and Daya Constance as a cafe and online shop. Hurricane Katrina forced the Constances to relocate north. They have now established an online store based in Connecticut and are working on rebuilding their presence. Because of their experience with Katrina they have committed to donating 10% of profits on their wholesale sales to charity (a different charity for each type of tea.)Today I started with their Masala Chai, their signature blend which has been passed down through Daya's family. (Daya was born in India.) They utilize Nilgiri tea from the Blue Mountains of southern India. Spices include cardamom, peppercorns, cloves, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
The dry leaf surprised me for this tea. It was very fine - the tea and spices appear to have been ground together. A few peppercorns lay in the sample, but it was mostly uniform and very small pieces. The color was a rich chocolate brown.
I brewed this tea in two ways. The first followed Indonique's online recommendations (the traditional way for brewing chai.) I brought 4 ounces of milk, 4 ounces of water, 1 tsp of tea and 2 tsp of sugar to a boil. I removed from heat and cooled. Then I brought it to a boil again and strained into a cup.
The aroma of this brew was smoky and inviting. I had a difficult time taking small sips of this tea because it was so interesting. The complexity was wonderful and totally unique, unlike other chais I have tried (even though the spices were common to many masala chais.) As I sipped I thought of maple cream and mesquite and pine. It was a really special brew. I had moments where I'd ask myself, "Do I really like this?" but then I would greedily take another drink. I tried to identify specific spices but they were too well combined.
I tried brewing this tea the way I have generally brewed chai at home. I steep 1 tsp to 1 1/2 tsp in about 6 ounces of hot water for 4 - 6 minutes with a bit of raw sugar in the mug. Then I add about 2 ounces of milk (usually heated and frothed.) This has worked well with many chais. Not this one. I really felt like the flavors were lost using this method. The special quality of this tea disappeared and it became a more mediocre version of itself. So, if you try this tea, absolutely go with the stovetop method.
Tea: Masala Chai
Source: Indonique
Type: Nilgiri tea based chai
Brewing details: Stovetop - 4 ounces milk, 4 ounces water, 1 tsp tea, 2 tsp sugar - Heat to boiling twice. (Make sure you stay nearby or this WILL boil over.) Strain into mug.
Comment: I am glad that Indonique decided to send me this sample. I look forward to trying some of their other teas. I hope they are just as interesting.
Taken from http://teapages.blogspot.com/
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