Chai Me Up, Chai Me Down

It's a beverage that has been enjoyed in some cultures for centuries, but only in the past few years have Americans really started to chai one on.

Chai (it rhymes with "pie" -- and goes well with it, too) is a daily staple in many parts of the world. The chai we see most commonly here in the United States harkens to the Indian versions, made with a rich, black tea, milk and a combination of spices such as cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and sometimes even peppercorns. The spices used in chai vary from region to region, and often even from house to house.

Chai can become a very personal affair for the drinker -- many a chai fan has combed specialty spice stores for the perfect seasonings, or tried countless variations of spices and steeping times to achieve perfect chai bliss.

Of course, these days, it's easy to find pre-made chai tea and ingredients for mixing up a cup. And you can order one to go at most corner coffeehouses. But it's quite simple to make your own chai at home. And when you do, it's wonderful aromatherapy; the house smells incredible!

Simple Chai

1-1/2 cups water
1 inch stick of cinnamon
6-8 cardamom pods
6-8 whole cloves
2/3 cup milk
grated or ground ginger (to taste)
6 tsp. sugar (or to taste), honey may be substituted
3 teaspoons loose black tea (Darjeeling works well) Put water in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves and bring to a boil. Cover, turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes or longer. Add the milk, ginger and sugar and bring to a simmer again. Throw in the tea. Cover, and turn off the heat. After 2 minutes, strain the tea into two cups and serve immediately. If you want, you can chill the mixture in the refrigerator and enjoy it cold, too.

The above recipe is just a jumping-off point for your own chai discoveries. Try adding some of the spices below to really chai it up:

Allspice
Black pepper
Coriander seed
Mace
Nutmeg
Star anise
Fennel
Bay leaf
Vanilla bean

It's fun to experiment -- and your friends and family would probably love to be your research assistants when the subject matter is this tasty.

Liquid Solutions columnist Lisa Morrison recently won a national award for her writings on beverages by the Brewers Association. You can reach her at lisa@ibsys.com.