Why Cry Chai?
Why Cry Chai?
by Dawnya Sasse
Remember when you were given a cup of warm milk to help you sleep? Now imagine that warm milk being supplemented by the rich color and flavor of perfectly brewed black tea. Add the sensuous flavors of cardamom, ginger, cloves, coriander, lemon grass, sweet cumin or a touch of pepper. Stir in a little sugar. Take a deep breath. Your tongue is tingling with anticipation. One sip and you know that you have finally experienced the fullness of life.
You’ve just had your first cup of chai.
Chai, the word for tea in many parts of the world, is a drink with its roots in India. Always concocted from the four main ingredients of black tea, a sweetener, a combination of spices, and heavy milk, chai can assume various flavors based on the spices – and the amount of each spice – that is used in the recipe. The types of tea and the variety of spices depends upon the region, and the possible combinations and resulting flavors are limitless, enabling vendors to create a special tea for all kinds of tastes.
Legend has it that a King in the ancient courts of India or Siam (modern-day Thailand) created the drink and that for several centuries, the secret recipe was guarded as a royal treasure. Vendors ( called “wallahs”) in India and Southern Asia sell the beverage everywhere in special small clay cups, molded with their own hands from the native clay. These small cups are called “kullarhs,” and are baked in open fires as the chai is brewed. Traditionally, the cup is thrown to the grown and broken after the chai is consumed so that the clay can return to the earth.
Chai is gaining popularity across the world as more and more people take delight in the various flavors and feelings that the magical drink proffers. The average person in the Eastern countries of the world claims Chai as the beverage of choice, and industry experts are predicting that chai in the United States will become as popular as lattes or cappucinos.
Mixes of chai are now found on store shelves, and this amazing tea drink is found in tea houses, health food stores, and coffee shops across the continent. In its modern evolution, chai is being offered in various forms. You can have it iced or hot, as a milkshake, decaffeinated, with chocolate or vanilla or hazelnut flavoring.
But no matter how you have it, it is an intensely pleasurable experience. So why Chai? Why not!
(C) Dawnya Sasse 2007 - Tea Events All Rights Reserved
