Country of Origin: India
Region: Travencore
Shipping Port: Kochi
Grade: Chopped and blended
Altitude: 500' 2000' ft. above sea level
Manufacture Type: Traditional
Cup Characteristics: South Indian spice garden abound with a deliciously light, peppery finish. Only premium January grown spices make the grade for this mix
Infusion: Fine, even brownish
Ingredients: Luxury ginger, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Coriander, Clove, Black pepper

Information:
In some parts of India it is said that even if one were to live to be 1000 years old, it would be possible to sample a different chai every day of one's life. Among India's more than 1 billion people, although an exact recipe count is impossible, there are literally hundreds of thousands of chai variations from province to province, city to city, town to town, village to village and family to family. In our nearly 30 years of doing business on the sub-continent, we've had the pleasure of sampling hundreds of them. We've had chai prepared by priests in villages that were accessible only by Cessna, chai prepared outside train stations boiled up in old tin cans, chai prepared in gold plated decanters at Planter's Clubs in the foothills of the Himalayas, chai that has blown our heads off with its almost over-stimulating blend of spice and pepper and Chai prepared from the back of a horse drawn cart that perfectly complimented the pale light of dusk in the Calcutta market. Seriously, we could write a book about the Chais we've loved before.

Now, even with all the variations in Chai available in India, most recipes share some constants: ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cloves and black pepper. (The standard savory mix we are offering here.) What is added on top of the standard mix is where it gets interesting. Chai-wallahs, (sellers), might add saffron, vanilla pods, pieces of dried fruit, chili peppers, crushed nuts and just about anything else they can lay their hands on to personalize their product. As you can well imagine, Chai selling is a very creative enterprise.

Our hope in offering this ground Chai mix is that we'll get your creative juices flowing. Use it to develop some spicy blends of your own. For a start, try adding the mix to black teas, green teas or Rooibos. Or shake things up and blend it into one of our premium-flavored teas like vanilla, peach or orange. With chai, the possibilities are endless. Let us know what you come up with - we're always looking for another cup to add to our collection.

Spice up your tea selection with these flavorful Chai variations.

Tropical almond Chai - A mouth watering, full-bodied chai with hints of sweet nut.

1 part Assam tea
1/8 part Chopped Chai Mix
1/8 part chopped Almond pieces
Thoroughly blend all ingredients and place in jars or tins.

Rooibos Mango Chai - Caffeine free Rooibos sets a mellow tone for this spicy, fruity twist on tradition.

1 part Rooibos
1/8 part Chopped Chai Mix
1/8 part freeze dried Mango pieces
Thoroughly blend all ingredients and place in jars or tins.

Hot tea brewing method: Place 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of Chai Spice per cup (and add 1 teaspoon for the pot) into the teapot. Pour boiling water into pot and let it steep for 5-7 minutes (or longer - the longer the steeping time to more intense the flavor becomes). Pour into your cup and add sugar to taste. **do not add milk - the milk will curdle due to the ingredients in this blend.

Iced tea brewing method (makes 1 quart/liter): Put 12-15 teaspoons of Chai Spice into a heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5-7 minutes or longer. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into the pitcher straining the ingredients. Add ice and top-up with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste.