281/365
This is the agave version (B&B also do honey and maple varieties). I made this one in a pan on the hob, as per the recommendation, using 2 tsp of leaf, heated in milk until just about boiling. It strikes me as sweet, as chai goes, and what I like about it is that some of the more unusual flavours stand out more than the more usual suspects. For example, I can taste the anise most prominently, followed by corriander and fennel. For this reason, it doesn’t strike me as a particularly spicy chai – it’s more gentle/fragrant, but I’m actually enjoying that since I feel like I’m tasting things I wouldn’t usually notice much in other chai blends. The usual things are there – ginger, cinnamon, clove, cardamon, pepper – but they’re pretty muted and remain mostly in the background.
The base tea is assam, and that’s deliciously malty (as you might expect). It works well with the sweeter overall profile, and with the agave particularly. While the blend as a whole tastes sweet, it doesn’t come across as sweetened or artificial. It strikes a nice balance.
I think, in future, I’d probably experiment with a bit more leaf, or perhaps 50:50 milk and water because I’d like the overall flavour to be a little stronger. Having said that, I really enjoyed the flavour I got here, so that’s not a criticism. I’d just like to taste more of it! I’ll return to this one with interest, particularly as the colder weather returns.
On an unrelated note, today was my first day in my new job, and I think it’s going to be okay. Obviously it’s all a bit weird and confusing at the moment, but I think it has the potential to be really nice. I have a cold at the moment, though, that I helpfully developed over the weekend, so I’m feeling pretty tired and just blah in general. For that reason, I’m going to pause my challenge for a few days while I recover, and while I get to grips with my new working arrangements. I’ll be back in a few days, though!
