Apr 04
Patty’s Teaview Snapshot
 | "What I really like about this blend is the balance of the mix; nothing fights for dominance, they just dance together in a blood-warming jig. I'm drinking it almost too fast to properly judge, but that says a lot in itself."
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"[Steenberg's] is a luxurious recipe that includes crushed organic saffron....We hand-blend the organic spices to our own secret recipe, then mix it into the organic green tea. These are then left to infuse for 2 weeks before they are packed down."There are as many chai recipes as there are people making chai. I've been a fan for many years, and I've been making my own casual combinations for quite a while now. Steenberg's blend brings something new to the mix for me, the use of lighter-bodied green Indian tea rather than strong Indian black. They also mention saffron as part of their mix of spices, which isn't something I had ever considered.
Saffron is the only spice they mention specifically - the rest are part of their "own secret recipe." I could see whole cardamom pods, but everything else was in small brown chunks that were indistinguishable from the tea. I would have to guess what was in it except for the unmistakable strong scent of cinnamon.
Most chai recipes call for boiling with milk and this was no exception. Actually, the Steenberg's recipe says half milk and half water, but I've never liked doing that, so I didn't. I can't do dairy, but I've found good soy milk to be a satisfactory substitute, so that's what I used, a half liter to two very heaping teaspoons of tea.
I brought the interesting looking mix to a boil. The aroma was lovely, reminding me of the 80's and meditating and chanting in various ashrams. There were nutmeg, cloves, pepper, ginger, and lots of unidentifiables. I waited impatiently for the concoction to get there, but I managed to keep my lid and the pot's lid on for five minutes of steeping before I strained it into my mug. Chai has always been a delectably sweet drink to me (that's my story and I'm sticking to it) so I added brown sugar and brought the hot mug back to my desk to warm me as I worked and watched our first winter storm of spring.
An interesting and different flavor, chai-like, but not what I'm used to. This is hot and spicy tea candy in a cup. The saffron is barely detectable but present. The cardamom is definitely there, but it doesn't overtake anything else disagreeably. What I really like about this blend is the balance of the mix; nothing fights for dominance, they just dance together in a blood-warming jig. I'm drinking it almost too fast to properly judge, but that says a lot in itself. I'm a classic, traditional chai fan, but this is good for a change.
Would I order this for myself? Probably, if I were in a position to do so. £5.25 ($7.61 in US terms) isn't overly much for a blend of this quality. However, add in the £15.00 ($21.74) for shipping and it takes this tea out of my ballpark. Still, if you are anywhere that British teas are inexpensively shippable, go for it. If you are a chai fan, you'll find this interesting!
— To purchase Steenbergs Organic Green Chai Spiced, or for more specific information on ingredients or the story behind this particular blend, click here to go directly to the manufacturer's web site.
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