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?
A homemade tea for sore throat – originating from Morocco, with just three ingredients! Soothing, comforting and warming, you’ll want to drink this all winter long! As unbelievable as this sounds, this Moroccan Sore Throat Tea is probably o…
A homemade tea for sore throat – originating from Morocco, with just three ingredients! Soothing, comforting and warming, you’ll want to drink this all winter long! As unbelievable as this sounds, this Moroccan Sore Throat Tea is probably one of the best discoveries we had in Morocco. After spending a bone-chilling night in a desert camp...
I first encountered boba when I was visiting Singapore in the summer of 2002. I was wandering down Orchard Road with my aunt, in the heart of the city’s main shopping district, noticing just how hot and sticky the summer heat was. Eventually fed up w…
I first encountered boba when I was visiting Singapore in the summer of 2002. I was wandering down Orchard Road with my aunt, in the heart of the city's main shopping district, noticing just how hot and sticky the summer heat was. Eventually fed up with my complaints of thirst, she paused for a moment, told me to hang tight, and disappeared for a few minutes.
My aunt returned with two sealed cups of a pastel-colored, creamy-looking liquid—one lavender, one mint-green—and brandishing two thick, plastic straws that looked like they were made for giants. As she came closer, I noticed there was a dark, syrupy mass pooled at the bottom of the drink.