I wanted some tea this afternoon, and I wanted it to be spicy and holidayish, so I went digging through my boyfriend’s mom’s small tea stash and came up with this bag. I knew that there was no way I was going to enjoy this one straight since I always find spicy chai-type teas too strong and overwhelming without additions. As I was looking for some sugar I espied the world’s largest cannister of instant hot chocolate in the cabinet, and I thought about the fact that I haven’t had hot cocoa tea in a long time. I love hot cocoa tea—basically steeping a tea bag in a cup of hot cocoa—but I rarely think to make it. It’s best with strong teas that have enough power to get through the hot cocoa, and spicy chais definitely qualify. I ended up with a tasty caffinated, spicy hot chocolate with strong notes of cinnamon and clove. I could tell even through the chocolate that the tea bag tasted a little dusty, though I don’t know if that is a characteristic of the tea or it’s likely extreme age. Still, I enjoyed it enough that I’m making a second cup.
