Sunday 29 April 2007

YesBut how about nice cup of Chai?


I have to eulogies the glory of Twinings Chai, described on the packet as “a tea with the mellow flavour of Indian spices”.

To say “drinking a cup of Chai“ is an understatement, it is a ritual. The boiling of the kettle with the puffs of steam. The selection of the cup. Pouring the boiling water into the mug. The gentle lowering of the teabag into the still steaming water. Then there is the wait as the black tea with the additional flavours of cinnamon, cloves, ginger and star anise infuse for five minutes - watching as the crystal clear water slowly turns into liquid gold. Removing the tea bag, allowing the last few drops to drain into the cup. Adding just a dash of milk, before finally stirring in three-quarter teaspoon of pure natural set honey. Initially taking just a sip and tasting the rich black tea, waiting as the taste buds slowly detect a hint of the added spices followed by the honey sweetness which mingles in the mouth.

Sweet Chai brew is also produced by Yogi Tea, but to my taste the drink is too dominated by the spice flavours and does not have the required sharp contrasting taste of black tea.

I wish I could be as enthusiastic about other Twinings infusions, but regrettably I cannot. Its Lemon & Ginger tea is a misnomer. Undoubtedly to comply with the Trades Description Act it must contain some ginger, but in such small quantities it is hardly detectable. The same can be said of its Ginger, Orange & Honey infusion, which tastes like very diluted hot apple cider, with an orange peel tang - I’m being polite. I could compare it to cat’s pee. But having never drunk cat’s pee I would be doing it a disservice in comparing it to Ginger, Orange & Honey infusion.

But for now I sip my Chai, perfection - and all is well with the World. And I can concentrate on writing my blog.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the nice post.

Tony said...

Thank you for your kind comment.

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

Well what a coincidence. We bought some Twinings Chai and Mummy tried some Friday night.

She said it tasted like soap, and tipped most of it away...

She likes the chamomile one though....

I prefer Tetleys, with milk and 2 sugars. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh........

Bob :@}

B.T.Bear (esq.) said...

BTW, important survey on my blog today, if you get a mo, come an take part!

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehehehehe....