World Tea Expo 2011

I've been chosen as a paid speaker at the World Tea Expo 2011, core conference, to lecture on the Art of Chai. As you know, I'm a bit of an obsessive on the subject, as you can see from much of my blog.

2010 program here, 2011 program not online yet, but I'll let you know when it is.

http://www.worldteaexpo.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1402&Itemid=568

The Art of Masala Chai

Spices should be steeped in boiling water for 10+ minutes, whereas teas should be steeped for 1-5 minutes, in hot to boiling water, depending on the type of tea. The chaiwallahs on the streets of India (remember Slumdog Millionaire?) make their chai by boiling water, adding the spice, then adding the tea later so it is extracted for a shorter time. They then add the milk and sugar before serving it to you for 2 rupees (4-5 cents). You can and should try making chai like this. However, realize that if you steep the spice in hot water for 5 minutes, then add the tea, the water may have dropped below the desired tea steeping temperature, unless you are preparing it on the stove top.

Element Spice has come up with a chai kit that allows you to make chai in a fun and ideal way. The spice and the tea come in separate containers. You steep the spice in one pot at the right time and temperature and at the same time steep the tea in another container at its right time and temperature. Then you mix the two liquids to achieve your ideal pot of chai.

The Art of Masala Chai

They'll be a lot of posts on this subject, focusing on my idea for Mix 'n Match Chai.

Why Mix 'n Match Chai?
In most coffee shops, even the ones that pride themselves on gourmet coffee and food, the teas, and in particular the chai teas, are largely an afterthought. Even on the rare occasion when the chai doesn’t come from a liquid concentrate or powder mix, there are problems with the way chai is made.
Chai literally means tea in Hindi, but in the rest of the world the term chai generally connotes tea plus spice, which is reasonable, since this is the way Indians almost always take their tea (plus milk and sugar or jaggery). Sometimes, in India, the term “masala” (spice mix) chai is used to specifically distinguish spicy tea from just plain tea, chai.

There are higher-quality chai mixes sold by gourmet purveyors available in the West. These mixes are significant improvements on the liquid concentrates and powders, in that they are whole leaf teas mixed with ground spices. They are still far from an ideal mode by which to make masala chai, however, because spices and teas have different extraction profiles, and so should not be extracted together, or at the very least not for the same amount of time.

Abalone Season Winding Down

So Abalone season is technically open till till the end of November, but it's cold and more often than not conditions are not diveable, so we've pretty much shut down. I also didn't make it up to John and Lisa's farmhouse for heirloom tomato harvest. But Alex did show Donna and me his dry ice frozen, deli sliced abalone, which is just superb.

Pretty pictures of tea and spice

Chai Extracts

Can liquid chai extracts, basically, brewed chai (spice plus tea), typically at a concentrated level, be good chai? I mean, if this works, then why don't we see gourmet liquid tea extracts?

http://www.harmonychai.com/
http://oregonchai.com/

More on My Chai Idea

16 Chai Combination Kit, $47
4 spice compounds x 4 teas
spice compounds: spark, cozy, balance, nirvana
teas: earl grey black, assam black, tung ting oolong, lemongrass tulsi tisane
makes about 44 cups
net weight approx 8 oz (226g)

36 Chai Combination Kit, $57
6 spice compounds x 6 teas
spice compounds: spark, cozy, balance, nirvana, quaint, savory
teas: earl grey black, assam black, tung ting oolong, genmaicha green, lemongrass tulsi tisane, rooibos tisane
makes about 66 cups
net weight approx 12 oz (340g)

My Chai Spice Ideas

Chai Spice Compounds
(1) SparkTM - Ginger with fennel, cardamom,
clove, cassia cinnamon
(2) BalanceTM - Cassia cinnamon with clove, fennel, cardamom, black pepper
(3) SootheTM - Cardamom with fennel, cassia cinnamon, vanilla
(4) NirvanaTM - Star anise with cassia cinnamon, cardamom, dried mango


Teas
(1) Assam (a traditional chai black tea)
(2) Earl Grey (another black tea)
(3) Tung Ting (oolong, an offbeat choice)
(4) Lemongrass & Tulsi Tisane (herbal, non-caffeinated)

Steeping Tea

Steeping Tea
Black – boiling water (100°C/212°F) for 3-5 mins
Oolong – near boiling water (90°C/195°F) for 2-4 mins
Green –hot water (80°C/180°F) for 2-3 mins
White –hot water (80°C/180°F) for 1-2 mins
Herbal tea/tisane –near boiling water (90°C/195°F) for 5-7 mins

Steeping Spice

Steeping Spice
Steep for 10+ minutes in boiling water. The spice compound comes in a coarse grind. If you use a tea ball or strainer, you will get some spice floating in your chai (all the more authentic). If you don’t want these floaties, try a muslin bag.