Vanilla Chai from Tea India

When it comes to tea, I have my old favourites which I must have in a permanent supply, but I am also thrilled to discover a new tea which warms the cockles of my heart. I've recently come across a new hot drink from Tea India - Vanilla Chai, and immediately fell in love with it. And it's not just me. My little man Eddie loves it too.
My regular blog readers might remember my review of teas from Tea India posted back in November (A lovely cuppa tea with Tea India). Last time I have tried a different variety of chai, it was Cardamom Chai.

Vanilla chai is very pretty when served in a thermo glass by Ozeri

Tea India says:
"We’ve blended the finest teas with deliciously sweet, comforting spices and natural vanilla flavouring to create our very special Vanilla Chai.

Already winner of a Gold Great Taste award, this delightfully rich and creamy blend has the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
We’ve combined the traditional spices of cinnamon, cardamom, vanilla, ginger and black pepper to create the perfect blend for an afternoon pick me up or evening indulgence"

I have offered this chai to a few friends, and everyone commented positively.

You might enjoy Vanilla chai with milk or without. Milk makes the drink more mellow, and hides the tingly note of the black pepper which is much more pronounced if you do not add the milk.
The overall taste is a good quality black tea with spices, warm cinnamon, zingy ginger, sweet vanilla, exotic cardamom. All the flavours are balanced really nicely.
I like to add a small teaspoon of honey to my chai.

I was lucky to receive several recipe cards with my tea. One of the recipes was called Spicy Black tea cookies. I loved the recipe but tried it with Vanilla chai instead of the black tea, and they were absolutely delicious, crunchy, buttery and with a lovely spicy twist.

Tea India is going to release the recipes on the Tea India Facebook page over the next few weeks/months. These inspiring recipes were created by talented Ravinder Bhogal for Tea India.
If you'd like to bake the same cookies and discover what other delights you can cook, you'll have to visit Tea India on Facebook.

Just believe me they were appreciated by my guys and friends. I love adding tea to baking, but have never done biscuits with tea before, and was very pleased with the result.

If you haven't yet tried the beautiful range of chais and tea from Tea India, visit Tea India Facebook and request your free samples (search for free Tea India at the top of the page just below the big header).

I have received Vanilla Chai (as well as Black tea) from Tea India for the purposes of reviewing, all opinions are mine.

A lovely cuppa tea with Tea India

Tea, one of life's simple pleasures, a democratic drink equally enjoyed in the humble houses and rich mansions. I love tea and I'm always happy to discover new brands and flavours. A range of teas called Tea India has just hit the shops in the UK.
 
What are my first impressions?
I love the design of the boxes: teardrop-shaped paisleys form an inviting image of a teapot. The colours and designs bring to mind elaborate cashmere wool shawls from India.
Tea India Black tea is a "unique blend of the finest teas with a deliciously rich, smooth flavour". I was impressed to find out that Tea India is an expert with 70 years of tea blending history.

Tea India shares its secrets: "Our master blender grew up in Assam on the banks of the mighty Brahmaputra river, where we source the majority of our teas. Combining his expert knowledge with a passion for Indian tea, he’s now on a mission to make sure everyone can enjoy a superior cup of tea everyday."

It is your choice entirely whether to have your cup of tea black or white, sweet or no sugar at all, but whatever your choice, you are going to enjoy a refreshing flavourful cup of rich Assam.

 

I got addicted to chai many years ago, when we lived in New Haven, CT. I was a Mum with a newborn, and recovering after a dramatic delivery, didn't dare to venture far from home. Thankfully we had a lovely little cafe nearby, just a block away from where we lived. I used to go there every morning, with baby Sasha in his pushchair. My daily mug of chai latte and a little chit-chat with the lady who owned the cafe made me feel less lonely. The owner's daughter had twins at about the same time as I had Sasha, and she was very friendly and welcoming. So, in my mind a mug of chai is forever associated with feeling welcomed.

 

How comforting is a cup of hot steaming chai on a cold and wet day. Don't know what it is exactly, whether it's the combination of spices that warm the cockles of your heart, or the creaminess of the chai latte that make you feel cozy, as if enwrapped in a warm rug.

Tea India Cardamom Chai has a very distinctive cardamom flavour. It is best served with a little bit of sugar or honey and milk, which beautifully complement the cardamom. The tea base for this tea is black tea of high quality. The overall combination of flavours is well-rounded, balanced and warm. A very enjoyable cuppa.

 

"Combining unique flavors, local tastes, and family traditions, chai transcends beyond tea. Rather, it is a tradition – an experience – and a testament to India's vast cultural plurality".

 

Douglas Adams used to say: "A cup of tea would restore my normality", and I couldn't agree more.

Treat yourself, discover the taste of India!