chai tea & starbucks (recipe)

[Guest guest]

I read this somewhere on the web, about starbucks not anticipating the

hotter than usual summer, yada yada...

 

I also read that they are focusing more on the coffee shops within

stores such as target, that these are doing better. I guess they

surmise that with gas costs so high people are less likely to go out

of their way to a starbucks store to buy a $4 coffee but if they are

already in target they are more likely to stop by for a coffee since

they didnt spend the extra gas money.

 

personally, i think it's a normal reaction to the way the typical

american lives. When things start to sour moneywise the first thing

you drop are the non-essentials, like that $4 cup of coffee.

 

and, have you seen the price of coffee lately? Ouch!

 

I make my own chai tea from scratch, I am so addicted it's not funny

and the tea bags just won't do it for me. I even have my 7 and 10 yr

olds addicted. My 7 yr old asked for a border's gift card for her

birthday so she can get chai when we go there, LOL.

 

I admit that during the holiday season I have been known to frequent

starbucks and beg for a chocolate mint chai if they are out they

can put in a squirt of mint and a squirt of chocolate and it's almost

as good, but not quite. This year I'm going to stock up on the big

tins of it instead!

 

Anyhow, here is my recipe, it's vegetarian but you can easily make it

vegan if you wanted to.

 

I dont know where I found it, it's really a latte and not a tea, you

can put in much less milk for a more tea-like drink. I like to sub

french vanilla dairy-free creamer if I have it around.

 

As for milk subs, I dont like soy in this but rice milk is ok. Almond

milk is my favorite but itmakes it much sweeter.

 

Ingredients

• 2 black tea bags

• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/2 cup honey

• 2 cups milk, soymilk or milk subsititute

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups water

 

Preparation

To make Chai Tea Base, in medium saucepan, combine water, tea,

vanilla, ginger, cinnamon, allspice and honey. Bring to a boil. Reduce

heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cover and allow to

steep for 30 minutes. Remove tea bags. Cover and refrigerate Chai Tea

Base.

 

To serve hot: combine equal parts of Chai Tea Base and milk. Heat on

stovetop or in microwave.

 

To serve cold: combine equal parts of Chai Tea Base and milk over ice

cubes.

 

Tips: This recipe can be doubled or tripled easily. Chai Tea Base may

be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 week.

 

 

 

Meg