Many folks have jumped on the kombucha bandwagon, and it’s clear why—that vinegary, effervescent kick (with a bonus of probiotics) is a welcome thrill in the world of “before 5 o’clock” drinks. And the best part is that kombucha is just the begin…
Many folks have jumped on the kombucha bandwagon, and it's clear why—that vinegary, effervescent kick (with a bonus of probiotics) is a welcome thrill in the world of "before 5 o'clock" drinks. And the best part is that kombucha is just the beginning: It's not alone in its world of sour drinkables. For your experimenting pleasure, there are two categories of fermented drinks: those that require a starter or SCOBY (symbiotic colony of bacteria and yeast), and those that do not (wild ferments).
The following drinks can be made at home, but some require a SCOBY—and who knows, all you might have to do is tap into your network (like our Contributors Editor Sarah did!) and you'll likely find fermentation enthusiasts who are thrilled to share these renewable resources with you. So up the ante of your fermented drink game by experimenting with a sampler six-pack.
It’s easy for some people to write off herbal tea as a wimpy alternative to the caffeinated stuff. Of course, even caffeinated tea has been called a weak replacement for coffee, though we know that’s not at all the case. My point is: Herbal tea can be …
It’s easy for some people to write off herbal tea as a wimpy alternative to the caffeinated stuff. Of course, even caffeinated tea has been called a weak replacement for coffee, though we know that’s not at all the case. My point is: Herbal tea can be vitalizing in its own way.
I’m an anxious person in general, and have become even more so throughout the pandemic. While my morning caffeine is nonnegotiable, when I try to throw in an afternoon cup, my body reacts swiftly and unfavorably. Once I began incorporating herbal teas into my routine, I found that they gave me the boost I’d been looking for, albeit not a caffeinated one. I make a pot of smoothing chamomile tea with oat milk and honey as a sub for an afternoon cup of jitter-inducing coffee (the pastry on the side is, of course, nonnegotiable). A cup of peppermint tea after a meal has a similar invigorating quality as an espresso (without, of course, the caffeine hit), plus it has some amaro-like vibes, thanks to its vegetal notes woven with menthol and a bit of bitterness. Smoky-sweet rooibos tea is even being used by some nonalcoholic drink creators, like the Digesteaf cocktail in Julia Bainbridge’s Good Drinks, which features an "amaro" concentrate from Steven Smith Teamaker, a blend of dried roots, flowers, and rooibos tea leaves. “With almost every sip, it morphs from bitter to sweet and then back again,” writes Bainbridge of the brew.
Though brown in color, hojicha is actually a type of green tea made from the plant’s lower leaves, stalks, stems, and twigs. These components are charcoal-roasted in a ceramic pot over high heat, and sold either as a loose-leaf tea or ground into powde…
Though brown in color, hojicha is actually a type of green tea made from the plant’s lower leaves, stalks, stems, and twigs. These components are charcoal-roasted in a ceramic pot over high heat, and sold either as a loose-leaf tea or ground into powder. Hojicha powder can be used easily in a number of applications as an extraordinary flavor element for both savory and sweet culinary ideas
Though hojicha is roasted, doing so doesn’t change its green tea health benefits. Hojicha does have a lower caffeine content than matcha, which is a powder made from dried (and comparatively babied) young green tea leaves. For those with sensitivities to caffeine, a cup of matcha ingested at the wrong hour may lead to a sleepless night, so it might be time to switch to drinking hojicha at teatime and beyond.
Traditional chai tea recipe, prepared with full-bodied black tea, star anise, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, white peppercorns, cardamom, whole milk and sugar. Continue reading “Chai” »
Traditional chai tea recipe, prepared with full-bodied black tea, star anise, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, white peppercorns, cardamom, whole milk and sugar.
In The Kitchen Scientist, The Flavor Equation author Nik Sharma breaks down the science of good food, from rinsing rice to salting coffee. Today: a piping hot cup of tea.
Every afternoon at 4 p.m., I partake in my daily ritual: tea with cookies (oft…
In The Kitchen Scientist,The Flavor Equationauthor Nik Sharma breaks down the science of good food, from rinsing rice to salting coffee. Today: a piping hot cup of tea.
Every afternoon at 4 p.m., I partake in my daily ritual: tea with cookies (often gingersnaps) or a sandwich (usually cucumber, salted butter, and a sprinkling of black pepper). And if I’m stressed or on a tight deadline, my work table will without fail contain a cup of tea.
If you have a tea aficionado on your holiday list this year, we’ve got you covered. Gift options range from those extravagant things someone would likely never buy for themselves, to incredibly useful, everyday items that will make their daily cup (or …
If you have a tea aficionado on your holiday list this year, we’ve got you covered. Gift options range from those extravagant things someone would likely never buy for themselves, to incredibly useful, everyday items that will make their daily cup (or cups?) even more enjoyable.
Pair any of these items with a box of your giftee’s all-time favorite tea leaves or bags for a thoughtful gift they’ll appreciate—and use.
Ever wondered why every mug on the BYO-mug shelf at your office (remember that place?) looked so different from the others? Why your pink collapsible carry-as-you-go sat next to an enamel camping mug, which in turn rubbed rims with a hand-painted asymm…
Ever wondered why every mug on the BYO-mug shelf at your office (remember that place?) looked so different from the others? Why your pink collapsible carry-as-you-go sat next to an enamel camping mug, which in turn rubbed rims with a hand-painted asymmetrical one... and so on.
Turns out it isn’t just what’s in our mugs (a very boozy hot chocolate for me at the moment, if I'm being honest) that speaks volumes of our tastes and preferences, it’s also what holds them that’s revealing. Because, no matter where you’re from or what you sip, it’s likely you have a favorite mug type. I know I have mine—chubby (but not too chubby that I can’t cradle it between my palms), a bold handle shape, often textured, always handmade.
Here’s how to make an iced chai latte at home! This sweetly refreshing tea latte is made with black tea, cozy spices and milk. (Plus, why not to call it iced chai tea latte!) We’re all about tea lattes over here, so how about a refreshingly cool variation? Try this Iced Chai Latte! The homemade version of this coffeeshop special is sweetly spiced and oh so delicious. In fact, it tastes much better than the Starbucks version that’s so popular (and has less sugar). This one is sweetened with maple syrup and made with our custom chai spices blend. Make up a big batch of the concentrate and drink off of it all week! Here’s what to know. What’s an iced chai latte? A chai latte is a Western invention: it takes traditional masala chai, the milky spiced tea from India, and combines it with frothy steamed milk of a latte. The iced version serves it over ice, and skips the frothy topping. This drink was popularized by Starbucks in the 1990’s. Many coffeehouse versions of a chai latte have little left of the traditional Indian inspiration: they’re often too sweet and overly spiced. The recipe for our iced chai latte […]
Here’s how to make an iced chai latte at home! This sweetly refreshing tea latte is made with black tea, cozy spices and milk. (Plus, why not to call it iced chai tea latte!)
We’re all about tea lattes over here, so how about a refreshingly cool variation? Try this Iced Chai Latte! The homemade version of this coffeeshop special is sweetly spiced and oh so delicious. In fact, it tastes much better than the Starbucks version that’s so popular (and has less sugar). This one is sweetened with maple syrup and made with our custom chai spices blend. Make up a big batch of the concentrate and drink off of it all week! Here’s what to know.
What’s an iced chai latte?
A chai latte is a Western invention: it takes traditional masala chai, the milky spiced tea from India, and combines it with frothy steamed milk of a latte. The iced version serves it over ice, and skips the frothy topping. This drink was popularized by Starbucks in the 1990’s. Many coffeehouse versions of a chai latte have little left of the traditional Indian inspiration: they’re often too sweet and overly spiced.
The recipe for our iced chai latte is gently spiced and subtly sweet. It combines our chai spices with milk and ice for a refreshingly cool latte that’s just sweet enough.
Why to avoid saying “iced chai tea latte”!
Starbucks might say the words “iced chai tea latte” for this drink, but this is a no no. Why? The word chai translates to “tea” in Hindi, so saying chai tea is like saying “tea tea.” The more correct term for the Indian tea blend is masala chai. The word masala refers to a blend of spices used in cooking. Just like the word curry, a Westernized reduction of a complex blend of Indian spices, the American concept of chai can appropriate a rich Indian cultural tradition.
How to make an iced chai latte
Now that we’ve got the right terminology, let’s talk about this drink. Masala chai spices can include many different ingredients based on the cook. To make this iced chai latte, this Homemade Chai Spice mix uses common chai spices. Note there are many more used regionally in Indian blends, and they are often used whole or ground by the chef. Here are the basis steps for an iced chai latte:
Make the tea concentrate (30 minutes): Steep the tea bags, chai spices and maple syrup for 30 minutes.
Strain: Strain the concentrate into a jar. It makes 4 servings, so you can refrigerate until you’re ready to drink!
Add ice and milk: To serve, add the concentrate to a glass with ice. Pour in the milk and serve!
Vegan variation
The great thing about this iced chai latte is that it’s easy to make vegan! Just use your favorite non dairy milk for the milk component. Since you don’t need to froth it like a hot latte, it’s easy to replace with any milk of your choice. Here are some of our favorites:
Oat milk. It has a great creamy texture and neutral flavor! One of our favorites for lattes. See also our Vegan Chai Latte.
Almond milk: Another good choice, but it’s less creamy and has a thinner texture.
Soy milk: This also works, but does have a slight soy aftertaste.
Typically we avoid coconut milk for lattes because the coconut flavor is rather strong.
Alternative sweeteners
This iced chai latte is crafted to be just sweet enough! It’s naturally sweetened with maple syrup, our natural sweetener of choice. But if you prefer others, here are some options:
Maple syrup(favorite). This vegan natural sweetener adds nuance without maple flavor. (It’s also great for cocktails.)
Simple syrup. Simple syrup has more of an intensely sweet, straightforward flavor.
Honey. Another great natural sweetener: it adds a bit more golden sweet flavor.
Agave syrup. This vegan sweetener is easy to find these days and also works well.
And that’s it! Let us know how you enjoy this drink in the comments below!
More tea drinks!
Love drinking tea? Here are a few more tea recipes we love:
Chai Latte Here’s how to make a chai latte at home…the easy way! This drink is creamy and cozy spiced with the perfect fluffy foam topping.
Perfect Tea Latte Make a straight-up tea latte without the spices: even simpler.
Dirty Chai Latte Even better, add a shot of espresso to your chai latte (a favorite!).
Cold Brew Tea The easiest iced tea! This recipe takes only 1 minute of hands on time and has a beautifully smooth flavor.
Classic Sweet Tea This recipe is easy to make and comes out with best refreshing flavor that’s sweetened just enough.
This iced chai latte recipe is…
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based, and dairy-free, use non dairy milk.
4 bags black tea (or 4 teaspoons loose leaf black tea in a tea strainer)
1/4 cup pure maple syrup (or honey, agave syrup or simple syrup)
1 cup milk of choice, for serving (use dairy free for vegan)
Instructions
Make the concentrate: Place the water, chai spices, tea and maple syrup in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once the mixture just starts to boil, remove it from the heat and rest until room temperature, about 30 minutes.
Strain and store the concentrate: Remove the tea bags and strain through a fine mesh strainer into covered container. Store in the refrigerator up to 1 week: make sure to shake before serving! (Makes 4 servings.)
Serve: To serve, place ice in a glass. Combine 3/4 cup chai concentrate and 1/4 cup milk.
Can boba bring people together? Taiwanese-American chefs Andrew Chau and Bin Chen—perhaps you know them as the Boba Guys—think so.
After meeting in San Francisco in 2011, Jersey-bred Chau and Texas-bred Chen realized that boba itself is emblematic of …
Can boba bring people together? Taiwanese-American chefs Andrew Chau and Bin Chen—perhaps you know them as the Boba Guys—think so.
After meeting in San Francisco in 2011, Jersey-bred Chau and Texas-bred Chen realized that boba itself is emblematic of their immigrant experience, with one foot in Asia, the other in America, and an identity that wavers between the two. They quit their corporate jobs to share this now-beloved—but then still unfamiliar to many Americans—drink and story with a wider audience.
Ever had real, fresh ginger tea? It’s soothing and invigorating at the same time. Ginger tea has been consumed for centuries, and yet it has only recently…
Ever had real, fresh ginger tea? It’s soothing and invigorating at the same time. Ginger tea has been consumed for centuries, and yet it has only recently crossed my radar. I love it!
I’ve been drinking ginger tea because I enjoy fresh ginger flavor, but it has a lot more going for it than flavor alone.
Ginger tea is a lovely, lightly spicy drink for warming up on cold days. It’s a light, alcohol-free alternative to a night cap. It soothes upset stomachs and eases indigestion if you over-indulge this holiday season (don’t we all?).
All in all, fresh ginger tea recipe is an excellent drink to keep in your repertoire this winter. Ready to make some?
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