Tea. I love tea. Strong dark bold Irish black tea is my favorite. My Irish side leaps like a leprechaun when I start brewing it. My Italian side says, metà e metà – what is tea with no flavor?! Hmmmp. Well here’s one to fit all the nationalities – spiced tea. It is loved by all the sides of me, inside – outside – left- right – top – bottom. On a cold rainy day I love to have a giant cuppa masala chai while I research family history at my antique writing desk that faces out the window.

My desk is a great spot for someone with ADD – lots of squirrels to watch run around! I can see the budding trees, the green grass, and the head-bobbing yellow daffodils across the street. Its also nice as a break for my eyes to not look at something only arms length away once in a while. and… back to tea.

Masala chai is a staple in the Indian subcontintent. While the traditional tea is prepared as a decoction of green cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, ground cloves, ground ginger, and black peppercorn together with black tea leaves, most families have their own ‘secret’ recipe for their own version. Along with wikipedia, there’s a nice article about tea here, on The Spruce Eats, and some interesting reading at Chai Diaries where you can learn what a chai wallah is and does.

I was first introduced to this amazing brew when I was living on my own in Central Sq in Cambridge, MA. I’d walk my dog, Cody, down Mass Ave from Central to Harvard Square and back and grab some take out on the way home. That first sip of chai…. heat, then sweet, then milky, then spicy, and heat again…and the aroma. It would warm my belly, my heart and my soul. My love affair continued as I learned to appreciate Indian and Pakistani food and drink as I gained friends through out my life.

Making masala chai from scratch is the BEST way, but its not always practical. I have all the spices to make it, but not always the time. A year or so ago I was introduced to an oil blend called “Chai in a Drop”. HOLY SCHMOLY. It is instantaneous amazing masala chai, and elevates a cup of black tea from ahh to AHHHHmazing. There is all of the spiciness of the pepper and ginger, the sweetness of the orange, cinnamon and cardamom, and the subtle hint of the nutmeg. Here’s how you can experience this at your house:

Step one, make the masala oil blend –
Add to an empty 15 ml oil bottle the following oils*:
10 drops of Thieves
7 drops of orange
5 drops EACH of cinnamon and black pepper
3 drops EACH of cardamom and ginger
2 drops of nutmeg
Swirl the oils and let them meld together. I find letting them hang out together overnight helps the blending process.

* make sure to use Young Living’s vitality oils that are labeled as GRAS.

Creating the tea:
Brew a very strong cup of black tea. [ I put two teabags in a sauce pan with 10-16 oz of boiling water and simmer for a few minutes. I personally love the tannin taste of the tea.]

In your mug, add 1 teaspoon of sugar [ I love the nutty taste of jaggery, (which comes powdered or a giant chunk) or Madhavas coconut sugar]

Add your masala oil to the sugar, and let the sugar absorb the oil blend. The oil distributes better when you add it to the sugar first, and not dropping the oil into the water. I suggest two drops to start and then if you need more spice, you can add more. [I like my chai spicy and typically use 4-5 drops]

Add cream to the sugar and swirl it around in your cup to help the sugar start dissolving. I use heavy cream as it has less lactose than milk or light cream.

Then FINALLY! add in your black tea slowly, stirring gently as you pour it in. It seems like quite a few steps, but its really super simple.

And if you make tea as often as I do, you’ll need a good kettle. My favorite kettles are the electric ones with an auto shut off. I really like this one on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3ffhnZw

It has an auto shut off, is see through so you can see how much water is in it, and has a filter to keep the solid minerals from getting into your tea cup. [If you have hard water like we do, you know ALL about mineral buildup!]

Now, snuggle up on the couch with a soft blanket and your favorite stuffy, book or person, and just enjoy the sweet creamy spicy warmth that will radiate through your soul.