All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Friday, January 1, 2010

raising a cup of spicy chai to the New Year





A Happy New Year to all! Is anything better than the first day of a brand new year? The year stretches before us, pristine and optimistic; another day to get it right, I often think to myself. Or, another YEAR to get it right. I wish the very best good fortune and health to all.
This morning, I decided to skip the usual two cups of French Roast and stir up a pan of spicy chai instead . I'm delighted I did - the spiciness of cinnamon sticks, fresh ginger slices, cloves, black and red peppers, and the subtle scent of cardamom pods warmed me right down to my toes. I think I could get used to this calming wake up, rather than the high octane coffee I usually drink far too much of.
I think this could easily be made dairy free by using rice or soybean milk , for those who are lactose intolerant.
Adapted from The Herb Companion
3 cups cold water
4 teaspoons loose black tea
8 cardamom pods, crushed with a knife blade
5 thin slices fresh unpeeled ginger root
8 whole cloves
3 black peppercorns, whole
pinch of red pepper flakes
4 two inch pieces of cinnamon sticks, split with a knife blade or broken up
1 cup milk
3 T. sugar
a 4 inch piece of fresh orange peel


Bring water to a boil in a saucepan. Add the cinnamon sticks, cover the pan, and remove from heat. Let steep for several minutes.
Return pan to heat, uncover, and bring to a boil.
Add the tea, the cardamom pods, ginger slices, cloves, peppercorns and pepper flakes, and orange peel, the milk, and the sugar . Cover the pot and remove from heat. Steep for 5 minutes.
Using a fine strainer or sieve, strain the tea into cups. Discard the spice solids, and garnish with long cinnamon sticks.
Featured on TasteSpotting! Yay!
* What I'm reading:
Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder

7 comments:

La Table De Nana said...

It looks like a New Year! Different and fresh~ Have a great one!

katrina said...

Thanks, Nana! I wish you and your family the most splendid New Year, full of love, flowers, and food!

Barb said...

Hi Katrina!

Happy New Year to you and your family and friends!

Thank you so much for such a wonderful blog site - I truly love reading it and love your beautiful photos and all the delicious recipes you share with the rest of us!

May 2010 be happy, healthy and joyful!

katrina said...

Oh, thank YOU, Barb! I'm so pleased and honored that you stop in to visit - it means a lot to me! Wishing you a Glorious 2010 , and many happy days!

kellypea said...

That does sound like a treat -- I went with my usual 2 cups but am using a frother now and no sugar on the 2nd cup. We'll see just how long that lasts :) And I *still* don't have a new calendar yet. Happy New Year to you Katrina.

katrina said...

Oh, Kelly - I loooove my frother! But when I went to froth the chai, I ruined a brand new sheet of foamboard:) It got hooked on a cinnamon stick, alas.
Good luck with giving up sugar - I'm pleased to say I've cut back by about half, without noticing a big difference - and the frother really makes coffee or chai sinfully foamy and more like a treat, doesn't it?
Happy New Year to you and yours, and your wonderful blog!

katrina said...

Thanks, Sophie - and a grand and Happy New Year to you! Hoping this chai will temper my passion for SO much coffee!