Chai Latte from Scratch

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In the dead of winter sometimes its hard to look past the cold, callous weather that forces you to burrow deep beneath layers of scarves, hats, gloves, and coats with no end in sight. The light is pale and low -- making it even harder to find the natural warmth that we crave this time of year.

So, it's not hard to see why Corynn Fowler's recipe for a Chai Latte gave us such repreive: It's a creamy and comforting drink with just enough of a spicy kick to perk us up despite these harsh February temps. Her photography is also warm, soft, and alluring that captures the beauty of a quiet and peaceful moment in the mid-winter sun.  

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FOR ME, EATING SEASONALLY DOESN'T AFFECT JUST THE INGREDIENTS I CHOOSE, it also changes the texture and temperature of what I crave.  In the winter I love anything that can be made into a steamy bowl of soup, comes out of a dutch oven, or fits nicely into a massively thick mug to wrap my hands around.  That also means that all my favorite winter desserts and treats come in big steaming mugs.  One of my absolute favorites is a thick, creamy chai latte, homemade and accompanied by a baseboard heater and a blanket.  It’s so simple to make your own chai concentrate mix, all it takes is a well stocked spice drawer, and a couple of hours to curl up and read a book while the spices simmer away.  That’s a hard recipe to pass up!   

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CHAI LATTE

• 2 liters of water
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 2 grated nutmeg nuts
• 2 inch knob of ginger
• 1 small handful of cloves
• 1 small handful of star anise
• 1 small handful of cardamom
• 1 small handful black pepper corns
• ¾ cup coconut milk (or any other type of milk)
• black tea
• 1 tsp honey

1. Grate the ginger and nutmeg nut into a large soup pot (it is easiest to grate nutmeg on a lemon zester) then add the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, cardamom, and black pepper.  
2. Put 2 liters of water in the pot and bring it to a boil.  Remove the lid and reduce to a simmer until the liquid has reduced about 2 inches (about 1 and a half hours)
3. Strain the chai concentrate liquid into a large mason jar.  It will seal and keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks.  
4. Heat ¾ cup coconut milk on the stove, add 3-4 espresso shots of chai concentrate to the milk and bring to a boil.
5. Pour the boiling milk into a mug with a black tea bag or tea ball (I prefer earl grey) and let it steep for a couple minutes. Remove the tea bag and sweeten with 1 tsp honey or more to taste.

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