Good morning, tea ladies and gents! You are almost to Friday! Congratulations! You've got this! Today, let's get right down to business. I am coming to you to answer a question that we regularly get asked here at the shop; "How do I make a Chai Tea Latte?".
Let's begin with detailing exactly what "chai" is. "Chai", which literally translates directly to "tea", is simply a black tea (usually Ceylon) that is enhanced with various different flavors, additions, and spices. At Good Life Tea, we are pleased to carry and bring to you three different and delicious varieties of chai tea. We regularly stock our Heaven Sent Chai, our Vanilla Chai, and our Rooibos Chai. Chais are traditionally served with milk and sugar to neutralize the "spicy" factor and are quite the rage these days! Should you have any further questions regarding what chai is or would like some more information, check out this previous blog post! It is short, but will answer any queries.
When you choose which chai suites your palette for the day, then you can begin making your chai tea latte. To do so, start by brewing the tea just the way you would normally with an infuser and to the appropriate steeping time.
While your tea is steeping you can make the second portion of your latte, the frothed milk! Of course you don't have to use regular milk. You may choose to use almond milk, oat milk, soy milk, any dairy free alternative, or a creamer of sorts. To froth your dairy or alternative, we recommend using one of our convenient Matcha Frothers. While we use these, primarily, to make our matcha tea, they serve many purposes, one being to froth this portion of our chai tea latte! When you are using a 16 oz cup to make your latte, you want to use about 1-1/4 cup of whichever dairy or dairy alternative you choose. In the time it takes you to froth, your tea will have been brewed. Remove your infuser and proceed to top your tea with the froth you have created!
**Pro tip: Use a large spoon to hold back the foam and allow the liquid to pour in first. As the liquid runs out, release the spoon to let the foam fill the rest on top.**
For a decorative touch, think about sprinkling a bit of cinnamon or clove atop your foam! This will add the coffee house touch that you are looking for, again, from the comfort of your own home, and without the price!
As mentioned, we have a few different chai teas to choose from when you start to make your specialty drink. Let us know which one you choose and how you like it! Please let us know if you choose to add anything to your drink as well. Perhaps add a few amber sugar crystals to heighten the sweetness or a cinnamon stick to swirl with and add a bit more flare! You may choose to add a syrup or spice that gives your Vanilla Chai Tea Latte just what it needs! We want to know what you added, why, and how it turned out!
Lastly, we would like to mention that we are not naive to some people being partial to cold drinks, even this time of year. These delightful drinks can be made iced as well! To do so simply requires a bit more prep time as we recommend that you "cold-steep" your tea. This involves letting your loose tea steep in cold water for a few hours or overnight in your fridge. Our Mist Pitcher is perfect for this so definitely check that out as well! After steeping your tea, simply add in whichever additives (sugar, syrup, spices, etc) you see fit, and just as before, add your froth head to the top! We have heard that many enjoy ice in these, but if you are worried about the ice watering down your beverage, think about freezing some of our cold steeped tea! These cubes will melt into your drink and release more flavors while doing so!
Whip one of these up today and shoot us an email detailing your experience! We love hearing your feedback and love incorporating it into our blogs going forward! We hope that you all have a wonderful weekend and are able to stay cool! Ciao Chai lovers! - Kaytea :)