Vanilla Chai (Black Masala Chai)

(Blended Black Masala Chai) Ingredients From: India / Sri Lanka Region(s): Assam + Kerala / Nuwara Eliya + Dimbula + Uva Shipping Port(s): Calcutta + Haldia + Cochin / Colombo Grade(s): OP (Orange Pekoe) Growing Altitudes: 500 – 8500 feet above sea level Manufacture Type(s): Tea : Orthodox (Traditional leafy) Cup Characteristics: Creamy Madagascar vanilla notes dance with tingling Malabar Coast spices. A lively ginger finish is accentuated by candy cardamom. Infusion: Bright and tending coppery with rosy highlights. Luxury Ingredients: Black tea, Ginger, Cinnamon, Cardamom, Black & White pepper, Clove, Calendula petals, Nutmeg, and Natural flavors. Information: Chai is such an integral part of Indian culture that it is virtually impossible to avoid when traveling through any part of the Indian sub-continent.  Even when fresh cold drinking water cannot be found, you will inevitably encounter a chai-wallah, or chai seller, yelling out, “chayee! chayee!”   While riding the rails in India, the call of the chai wallah can be heard at every stop proffering their delicious hot drink. It is not uncommon for a chai-wallah to board a train in the middle of the night and wake up passengers to sell chai.  The chai arrives in small clay cups that customers throw from the train windows when finished!   Indian chai is typically made using a rich black tea, usually an Assam, and brewing it in heavy milk with cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and pepper.  The drink produces a warm soothing effect and engenders a wonderfully calming effect on the body.  We‟ve taken the soothing aspect of this blend one step further and added a dash of vanilla.  This addition of vanilla adds a hint of creaminess to this tea – a fantastic addition.  Brew this tea piping hot and add some sugar to help open up the exotic flavor of the spicy blend that makes up this tea.  Just try and stop yourself after one cup! Important: Turn your bag of Chai upside down a few times. The powdered spices can settle at the bottom of the bag during transit.   A Cool Alternative: Make Vanilla Chai Ice Cream.  Ingredients: 2 Cups 35% Cream, 1 Cup 2% milk, 4 ½ tsp Vanilla Chai Tea, 5 Egg Yolks, ½ cup sugar. Heat cream & milk over medium heat. Remove just before it boils. Stir in tea and set aside for 1 hr. Return cream to heat for 2 minutes. Strain tea from mixture. Mix egg yolk and sugar. Gradually add the cream mixture to the egg yolks. Once thoroughly combined return to heat stirring constantly until thick enough to coat back of spoon. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Chill over night. Place chilled custard into Ice-cream maker and follow manufacturer‟s instructions. Hot tea brewing method:  Bring filtered or freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea, 1 tea bag or 1 Q3 single serve packet for each 7-9oz/200-260ml of fluid volume in the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 5-10 minutes (for true „chayee chayee‟ steep at least 7 minutes). While the tea is brewing prepare your cup to receive the chai – put 2 teaspoons of sugar in the cup and add milk (about 20%) of the cup‟s volume. When the chai is ready – pour into your cup. Iced tea brewing method (Pitcher):  (to make 1 liter/quart):  Place 6 slightly heaping teaspoons of loose tea, 6 tea bags or 6 Q3 single serve packets into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 1¼ cups/315ml over the tea. Steep for 7 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the tea or removing the tea bags. Add ice, milk and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about!)                              Iced tea brewing method (Individual Serving):  Place 1 slightly heaping teaspoon of loose tea, 1 tea bag or 1 Q3 single serve packet into a teapot for each serving required. Using filtered or freshly drawn cold water, boil and pour 6-7oz/170-200ml per serving over the tea. Cover and let steep for 7 minutes. Add hot tea to a 12oz/375ml acrylic glass filled with ice, straining the tea or removing the bags.  Not all of the tea will fit, allowing for approximately an additional ½ serving. Add milk and sweeten to taste. A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to increase the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted. (Note: Some luxury quality teas may turn cloudy when poured over ice. This is a sign of luxury quality and nothing to worry about!)  ANTIOXIDANT BENEFIT: More antioxidants are extracted from tea (L. Camellia Sinesis), or rooibos (Asphalatus Linearis), the longer it is brewed….and the more tea or rooibos that is used, the greater the antioxidant benefit. Ideal Brewing Temperature: 100 ºC/212 ºF. Minimum Brewing Temperature: 90 ºC/194 ºF. Cupping Notes   Creamy Madagascar vanilla notes dance with tingling Malabar Coast spices. A lively ginger finish is accentuated  by candy cardamom. Infusion is bright and tending coppery with rosy highlights.