Tuesday, May 09, 2006

Chai (tea blend)

When it comes to food, I can be equal parts adventurous (checking out new places!) but also a creature of habit (and ordering the same kind of food :P). The same applies when it comes to tea. Generally, I'm a English Breakfast or Genmaicha tea in the morning kinda gal, Earl Grey in the afternoon/night. But since my short little stint at the sushi shop last year, I have started drinking chai tea (not to be confused with chai latte - afro guy at Baretto, I'm looking at you!).

I'm not sure what chai tea is made from (I assume there are some actual tea leaves in there), but what makes it different is that spices have been added to the tea which then produces a distinctive scent and flavour - kinda like the way bergamot makes Earl Grey Earl Grey. I'm not exactly certain of the combination of spices though. The ones I can pick out are cinnamon and cloves...according to wikipedia other common additions are star anise, pepper, ginger and cardamon. I prefer it with soy milk rather than cow milk and sugar although I started off drinking it with honey.

While unlikely to knock off the others as my faves, try chai at least once. Even if you decide you don't like the flavour (some ppl have said it's kinda weird), the happy scents will make it worth it!

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