Had to run to the store for something on the way to work this morning and there was a Starbucks next door, so I decided to try AmazonV’s “no water” suggestion. Yum. The more I have this the more I like it. Nice blend of spices that takes the milk just right. It’s the same comforting feeling as drinking hot cocoa. It isn’t in the same league of chewy and nommy as the Samovar, but on the other hand one can’t just run into the (every) corner Starbucks and get the Samovar Masala Chai. Life is full of such trade offs. Bumping the rating a hair.
People who liked this
Comments
Did you have it w/ concentrate or the full leaf version? I do not like the concentrate unless I add other syrups to it and even then I don’t like it all that much. I wish I could figure out how to do an iced full bag version.
No idea, I was going potty while they made it. ;-)
If you didn’t specify the sachets I know they stuck you w/ (in my personal opinion) the inferior concentrate. No real tea taste, just spice.
Thanks for the tip. Wow. So much to specify. Nonfat, no water, now sachets. I used to make fun of someone I knew who always ordered “double decaf nonfat latte no foam” and now… I’m becoming that myself!
My default is always a tall double shot double bag half water half nonfat milk dirty chai w/ 2 pumps each sugar free vanilla and caramel 2 pumps chai topped w/ whip and mocha and caramel drizzles. When I get it iced I switch to 2 pumps concentrate and half ice half non fat milk blended. (other customizations the same) Why would you make fun of someone for ordering something they enjoy? That’s not polite.
Because it’s a crazy long thing to say every time you order something, and she’s my friend and thinks it is funny too.
I get smiles from Baristas often. Not “Ohmygosh why would you order that?” or “Gosh can’t you just order something simple?”, but “Ok wow- impressive, what was that so I get that right?” My response is usually “Well you do say can customize my drink 87,000 ways” which normally gets us both laughing and then I repeat my order slowly again (if I don’t have it written down for them, which I often do). I’ve only had my drink made incorrectly once… and it was actually a much simpler drink.
lol, yea it can get long and crazy, and it isn’t as good as making your own but it’s great to be able to pop in to a starbucks anywhere in the country (or world) and get the same nice soothing chai – luckily i don’t order normally, i show up and smile, and they ring me up, cough just a weee habit
@__Morgana__: I had a wonderful regular customer who would order your friend’s drink and she always called it the “why bother” since it was decaf, NF with no foam. It cracked me up every time :)
As a former barista it really didn’t phase me (and most of my coworkers) when people had lenghty orders. After all, we tend to be even pickier about our drinks ;) The only time I got annoyed was when I worked at a store in the Rockies and a tourist wanted a 195 degree latte. I tried to explain that I would need to drop the temp by 10 degrees since we were so far above sea level. The customer almost lost it, so I made it for him – horribly scalding milk and all. I’ll give him props that he didn’t try to return it :)
I really don’t mind how long someone’s order is other than mine. I have a hard enough time remembering my own name sometimes. It’s the thought of having to remember to specify all this stuff. When I get coffee at Starbucks, I get drip, and I get whatever the mildest one on offer is. So this whole specialty drink thing is new to me and I feel like unless I come up with a jingle I’m gonna forget it at least the first few times. (I need more sleep and less stress ;-) and being a lot younger than I am wouldn’t hurt either.) Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese….
Morgana perhaps you should get the starbucks application, make the drink “card” (the baristas speak) for what you want then just hand it to them – http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PVvSpqz4_0/S8dAYboUojI/AAAAAAAABXI/X8MptIF9UVE/s1600/IMG00810-20100415-1023.jpg as an example – see the cup markings, i pen them on in advance, and can change it to whatever i want
(they used to have white strips of paper you could use and tack to your own mugs, some stores may still have them, they’re like post-its)
Oooh. Cool. I was thinking of doing something like that but then I felt kind of pathetic about it. ;-)
Morgana, don’t feel pathetic- especially w/ orders like mine they’re greatful for anything you do to make their job of giving you the drink you want easier.
Did you have it w/ concentrate or the full leaf version? I do not like the concentrate unless I add other syrups to it and even then I don’t like it all that much. I wish I could figure out how to do an iced full bag version.
No idea, I was going potty while they made it. ;-)
If you didn’t specify the sachets I know they stuck you w/ (in my personal opinion) the inferior concentrate. No real tea taste, just spice.
Thanks for the tip. Wow. So much to specify. Nonfat, no water, now sachets. I used to make fun of someone I knew who always ordered “double decaf nonfat latte no foam” and now… I’m becoming that myself!
My default is always a tall double shot double bag half water half nonfat milk dirty chai w/ 2 pumps each sugar free vanilla and caramel 2 pumps chai topped w/ whip and mocha and caramel drizzles. When I get it iced I switch to 2 pumps concentrate and half ice half non fat milk blended. (other customizations the same) Why would you make fun of someone for ordering something they enjoy? That’s not polite.
Because it’s a crazy long thing to say every time you order something, and she’s my friend and thinks it is funny too.
I get smiles from Baristas often. Not “Ohmygosh why would you order that?” or “Gosh can’t you just order something simple?”, but “Ok wow- impressive, what was that so I get that right?” My response is usually “Well you do say can customize my drink 87,000 ways” which normally gets us both laughing and then I repeat my order slowly again (if I don’t have it written down for them, which I often do). I’ve only had my drink made incorrectly once… and it was actually a much simpler drink.
lol, yea it can get long and crazy, and it isn’t as good as making your own but it’s great to be able to pop in to a starbucks anywhere in the country (or world) and get the same nice soothing chai – luckily i don’t order normally, i show up and smile, and they ring me up, cough just a weee habit
@__Morgana__: I had a wonderful regular customer who would order your friend’s drink and she always called it the “why bother” since it was decaf, NF with no foam. It cracked me up every time :)
As a former barista it really didn’t phase me (and most of my coworkers) when people had lenghty orders. After all, we tend to be even pickier about our drinks ;) The only time I got annoyed was when I worked at a store in the Rockies and a tourist wanted a 195 degree latte. I tried to explain that I would need to drop the temp by 10 degrees since we were so far above sea level. The customer almost lost it, so I made it for him – horribly scalding milk and all. I’ll give him props that he didn’t try to return it :)
I really don’t mind how long someone’s order is other than mine. I have a hard enough time remembering my own name sometimes. It’s the thought of having to remember to specify all this stuff. When I get coffee at Starbucks, I get drip, and I get whatever the mildest one on offer is. So this whole specialty drink thing is new to me and I feel like unless I come up with a jingle I’m gonna forget it at least the first few times. (I need more sleep and less stress ;-) and being a lot younger than I am wouldn’t hurt either.) Two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese….
Morgana perhaps you should get the starbucks application, make the drink “card” (the baristas speak) for what you want then just hand it to them – http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_8PVvSpqz4_0/S8dAYboUojI/AAAAAAAABXI/X8MptIF9UVE/s1600/IMG00810-20100415-1023.jpg as an example – see the cup markings, i pen them on in advance, and can change it to whatever i want
(they used to have white strips of paper you could use and tack to your own mugs, some stores may still have them, they’re like post-its)
Oooh. Cool. I was thinking of doing something like that but then I felt kind of pathetic about it. ;-)
Morgana, don’t feel pathetic- especially w/ orders like mine they’re greatful for anything you do to make their job of giving you the drink you want easier.