Chai One On!
CHAI ONE ON!
JULES MARIE
The fragrant, intoxicating aroma of chai tea permeates the air as chai wallahs (aka tea makers) lure all who visit India with their cry of “chai-eeeeee, chai-eeeeee!” Chai wallahs are everywhere in India, always serving up a unique beverage of black tea brewed with Indian spices—cardamom, ginger, clove, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg— with a bit of milk and a hint of sweetener to enhance the robust brew.
Boulderites have embraced chai tea with a passion, as evidenced by the success of four local Boulder chai manufacturers—all who have enjoyed humble beginnings and some who have attained national recognition. Local coffee shops, juice bars, retailers and restaurants are making room on their menus and shelves for local chai favorites as they grow in popularity.
Brook Eddy, owner of Boulder-based Bhakti Chai, returned from a trip to India enchanted by the spicy, fiery chai that she’d enjoyed there. She began experimenting with fresh ginger and spicy masala blends and crafted a homemade chai tea so de- licious that she began selling it to local cafés. Today Bhakti Chai presses hundreds of pounds of fresh, organic ginger weekly to produce their award-winning chai.
Though a favorite way to drink chai in India is in tiny, handmade, one-use clay cups, Boulder’s coffee houses serve chai up hot or iced and always blended with soy, almond, rice or cow’s milk to lighten up the concentrate.
[more…]Historically, tea is known to have a variety of positive health benefits, and when coupled with spices well-known for their healing qualities, cup for cup chai is one of the healthiest beverages around. With cinnamon and black pepper to boost circulation, ginger to soothe upset stomachs, nutmeg to promote digestion and cardamom to elevate your mood, there’s no reason not to belly up to the chai bar and chai one on.
Like chai wallahs who put a little some- thing special in their chai—a smashed up nub of ginger, a pinch of garam masala powder, a strand of saffron—Boulder’s Hanuman Chai offers unique chai blends comprised of “karha” and black tea. Karha is a unique blend of spices; making it is a family tradition in India. Hanuman is owned by the Rawat
family who brews their chai based on ancient Ayurveda principles. Recipes, handed down through four generations, are at the heart of Hanuman, and incorporate dietary and seasonal changes. (When the Brits brought the tea trade to India in the 1800s, karha and tea were united, and with a bit of milk and sweetener, chai arose.)
Chai is more than just a tasty drink to John Simmons, founder of Third Street Chai. Simmons has been micro brewing organic, Fair-Trade certified chai since 1995 when chai was relatively unknown. Simmons travels to India, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Madagascar and Egypt to source organic spices and Fair-Trade certified tea to craft their award-winning chai blends. Fan favorites include Spicy Ginger and Honey Vanilla Chai, as well as micro-brewed lemonade and iced tea.
Sanctuary Chai is a one-man operation brewing honey-sweetened chai in Boulder’s Red Rock Coffeehouse. A former coffee- house owner, John Eitel began micro brewing in small batches, vibrantly infusing rich green and black tea leaves with exotic spices sourced from environmentally sustainable growers. Sanctuary also offers an organic caffeine-free chai made with South African rooibos.
“All commercial brands use sugar or cane juice; our Colorado honey sets us apart. It makes the chai a more complex brew and gives it a lot of body. Honey is loaded with minerals and pound for pound contains as many anti- oxidants as green veggies,” says Eitel.
Sanctuary’s Spicy Chai is a fiery blend of cardamom, ginger and a touch of cayenne. With a one-to-three ratio, Eitel feels that though the retail price may appear higher, the concentration is stronger than other blends as less water is added, packaging waste is cut in half and fewer resources are used. Eitel brews his chai to order in 50-gallon kettles and personally delivers to the Boulder-Denver metro area, as well as accepts online orders.
“We don’t skimp on ingredients. Everything is high-quality and handmade and it’s a small chai operation. We grind our spices right before we brew and the payoff is an exceptional chai,” says Eitel.
Next time you visit your favorite coffee shop or retailer, consider enjoying a cup of Boulder chai and relish a rejuvenating, homegrown, socially responsible beverage.
This article originally appeared in Boulder Lifestyle Magazine October 2013
