Let’s Celebrate 2014 and Ring in 2015 with a cup of Chai!

There is so much to say about a Chai.

I love the flavors, the smell, and how it makes me feel like I am sitting around a fire at Everest Base Camp ready to tackle  the mountain with my trusty Sherpa. Chai is a way that I escape the here and now and go on a flavor fantasy. I think it is the Cardamom that is the kicker for me. That particular spice is not something that I generally eat or use in my Southern Cuisine, so perhaps cardamom is the jewel in my fantasy quest?

Check out Stash Tea’s booklet. A Week of Chai: 7 Days of Chai Recipes

Today I’m drinking mine black, but chai is versatile. You can all kinds of wonderful additions to your cup and make it come alive. Milk or cream of all kinds like coconut, almond, or even rice, makes the flavor less sharp. But what truly brings out the essence of the Chai is sugar. This is where experimentation comes to play. You can use anything. My favorites are honey and homemade vanilla syrup, but the paths to Chai Enlightenment are endless…blue agave, malt, maple, stevia, sweetened condensed milk, and the list goes on and on.

Brew the Chai strong…don’t worry unless you are like me and drink it black, you really can’t overdo the brew on this one.

“Chai is Love in a cup!”

It is, so I give you Chai for the New Year! Love and Peace on Earth in a cup. 🙂

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Today’s Tea: The Republic of Tea, Hibiscus Watermelon

This tea is fabulous! And I don’t say that lightly. I am sooooooo picky when it comes to herbal or flora teas: they really have to knock my socks off.

From the moment the tea hit the water there were moments of tea-geek experiences. As the tea steeped the scent of fresh melon hits you, not like it knocks you down, but it is very present. Then the water starts to take on of red tinted swirls, and that is when the apples chime in along with the blackberry.

The Nigerian Hibiscus truly made a heady brew almost like a punch that you would serve at a chic wedding reception. As a matter of fact that is a great idea for this tea. Add a bit of sparkling apple to this and you are set! I highly recommend this Hibiscus tea and cannot wait to try the others that The Republic of Tea offers.

The best part: “A donation of $1 from the sale of each tin will be donated to Action Against Hunger, a global nonprofit working to end hunger by creating sustainable food solutions and water sanitation services to communities faced with water scarcity. ”
The Republic of Tea established a partnership with Action Against Hunger and their Sip for Clean Water initiative in 2013, introducing the Watermelon Hibiscus Superflower™ Tea.
They offer a Hibiscus Watermelon Iced Tea One Cuppa™ for single service beverage machines to further support Action Against Hunger’s mission.