Feeling Chai and Mighty

Cold weather is upon us and one of the best ways to warm yourself up is a seasonally appropriate beverage. I usually burrow myself under the blanket with a cup of hot chocolate, mulled cider, or, my personal favorite, a masala chai tea. It has the right amount of sweetness and spice that lingers throughout a frigid night or a lazy morning.

There are a few basic ingredients in a masala chai that can vary by tradition or preference. It typically involves black tea, milk, cardamom, and cinnamon sticks. Some keep their chai distinct by adding peppercorns and cloves. There are many recipes, but I try to keep mine personal. As much as I love the classic chai recipe, I've added a few more distinct ingredients that you can easily purchase from the spice shop. Let's start with the classic.

Chai Tea 1-2-3

1 tablespoon loose leaf black tea
1 cup of milk
1 cup of water
2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks
2 green cardamom pods, slightly crushed
3 whole cloves (optional)
3 peppercorns (optional)
3 teaspoons of sugar (optional)

1. Put all the ingredients in a small pot and simmer on low to medium heat for at least 10 minutes, or until fragrant. Try not to boil the mixture to prevent milk from curdling.
2. Strain all the solids and pour the liquid in a nice wintery mug. Garnish with one cinnamon stick if you so prefer.

Next up, my own version of chai tea. With my bartending background and a focus on DIY-mixology, experimentation and understanding flavor combinations is second nature. And with so many options at Bazaar Spices, I couldn't help myself. I chose the funky, peaty, caffeine-free rooibos red tea because my daily caffeine intake has already reached its limit. Vanilla soy milk adds the right amount of sweetness and vanilla note. Cubeb berries have notes of allspice and Sichuan pepper offer heat and citrus. It's unique and fun to drink!

Olive's Chai

1 tablespoon loose leaf rooibos tea
1.5 cups of vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup hot water
2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks
2 green cardamom pods, slightly crushed
2 whole cloves
2 cubeb berries
2 Sichuan peppercorns

1. Put all the ingredients in a French press except for the vanilla soy milk.
2. Steep for about 5-10 minutes until fragrant. Using the plunger, slowly press down all the spices until the liquids and solids are separated. Pour into your favorite mug and enjoy!
3. Microwave the soy milk until warm, about 30 seconds or so.
4. Carefully add the steeped tea into the mug and stir.

Happy "Cinco De Mayo" Hour: Tamarind Rye Sour

It's Cinco de Mayo! Let's celebrate using a delicious fruit from Mexico! 

I love tamarind. Tangy, sour, and a flavor unlike anything else, tamarind is the fruit of the tamarind tree, native to tropical Africa. 

Tamarind pods

Over the course of its long history, tamarind has traveled to India, Thailand, the Middle East, Mexico and Latin America, among other places. In short, it’s everywhere. And do you know where else it should travel?

Into your drink.

Maybe you’ve encountered tamarind in block form at your local grocery store, or maybe you’ve even stopped by Bazaar Spices and seen the tamarind candy or tamarind powder. Hopefully you love tamarind’s sour bite, but there is a chance that you greet tamarind’s punch with more revulsion than fond feelings. It’s ok; tamarind is not for everyone.

But, if you want to step outside your norm for a bit, why not blend the sour tamarind with a woodsy, lemony rye whiskey? I recently came across a recipe for a Tamarind Whiskey Sour from Andy Ricker of Pok Pok, but, being more of a rye girl, decided to give it a whirl with tamarind powder from Bazaar Spices and a bottle of rye from Cordial. Although I made it on a rainy day, this Tamarind Rye Sour would be equally content being sipped on a hot summer’s evening. With the slightest tang from tamarind in the drink and a tamarind powder/sugar rimmed glass, this drink is at once bracing and refreshing. I thought about using a lime wedge to garnish, but really liked the sweet aroma from the orange slice as I drank the puckery concoction. Your call.

Tamarind Rye Sour

Note: To make simple syrup boil 1 cup sugar with 1 cup water over medium heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Let boil for a few minutes then remove from heat and cool. Syrup will keep in a sterilized jar in the refrigerator for a really long time. (I’ve had mine in there since January.)

For one drink:

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon tamarind powder

1 orange slice

1/2 ounce simple syrup (see note)

1/4 teaspoon tamarind powder, or more to taste

Juice of 1 lime, or more to taste

2 ounces rye (I used Catoctin Creek Roundstone Rye, but use your favorite)

Lots of ice

Mix the sugar and 1/8 teaspoon tamarind powder in a small bowl. Squeeze a bit of juice from the orange slice onto a plate. First dip the rim of a short glass into the juice, then into the tamarind sugar, and set aside.

Stir the simple syrup and ¼ teaspoon tamarind powder together. Taste and, if you want more sour, add a little more tamarind powder. Add the simple syrup mixture, lime juice, and rye to a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, and shake for about 15 seconds. If you don't have a cocktail shaker, just stir everything together in a separate glass. Fill you drinking glass with ice and strain the contents of the shaker into the glass. Top with the orange slice and serve.

Cheers!

Kara

Spiced Sorrel Juice for Caribbean-American Heritage Month

Traditionally made during Christmas in the Caribbean, this tart, bright, spiced drink is also perfect for sipping in June, aka Caribbean-American Heritage Month.  

1 ounce dried sorrel (Hibiscus flower)
1 or 2 Ceylon cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves or 4 allspice berries (or both!)
3 tablespoons sugar (or more to taste)
Zest of 1 orange or lemon, optional

In a nonreactive saucepan, combine 4 cups of water with the sorrel, cinnamon sticks, cloves or allspice, sugar, and zest if using. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and boil, stirring often, for about 1 minute. Cover and let steep at room temperature for a few hours or overnight.

Taste for strength and sweetness, adding more water if too strong and more sugar if too tart. Strain the liquid through a fine sieve and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Or, boil the liquid down to a concentrate and add to soda water for a fizzy sorrel soda. A little rum wouldn't hurt either. 

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

This post is part of our series on drinks. For others in the series check out:
Spiced Sorrel Juice for Caribbean-American Heritage Month
DIY Infusions: Modern Mixology 101
Beat the Heat: Rose Hip Lemonade