Rooibos Vanilla Chai

Marco Polo TTB

Sweet creamy vanilla, spiced sugar cookie, the ginger and pepper tingles on the tongue. Something I could make for the whole family at night. My husband who will only drink caffeinated teas wanted to try this. I had everything taken out of the box that I wanted to try and my husband comes over and wonders if he would like anything, I cringed and held my tongue as I watched him unpack the tightly packed box looking at almost everything. I’m so glad he chose this one because I was about to give up on rooibos because I don’t like it but I can’t taste it in this one, yay!

So I tried something new and exciting today, I made popped amaranth! It is pretty tasty, similar to popcorn but with an earthier taste, I certainly think I like it better than popcorn…plus no annoying kernels being stuck in my teeth! This is part of my experimenting trying to find easy to make, relatively cheap, naturally gluten free (not a substitute like gluten free waffles or crackers) snacks. My next experiment will be toasted millet, though I do find myself wondering what these toasted and popped grains would be like in Genmaicha.

So, have you ever found yourself craving Chai right before bed but knew there was no way you would sleep if you drank one? The Persimmon Tree Tea Company’s Rooibos Vanilla Chai might just be a solution for midnight Chai cravings. Made from Organic Rooibos, Vanilla Flavoring, Ginger Pieces, Cinnamon Pieces, Cardamon, Cloves, and Orange Pieces. The aroma is very sweet and spice, as expected from a Chai! There are notes of vanilla, woody rooibos, caramel, and mostly well balanced spices. I say mostly because the ginger is a bit stronger than the other spices.

After giving the tea a good steeping, the aroma is very spicy, heavy notes of clove and ginger. It reminds me of the holidays, very warm and comforting aroma. There are also fairly gentle notes of vanilla and sweet, woody, rooibos. The liquid is mellow, a nice sweet blend of rooibos, spices, vanilla, and a tiny hint of orange.

I find myself frequently craving night time Chai in the colder months, the warming spices and richness of the tea is very soothing when the weather is cold and you are snuggling under blankets with a cup of tea. It is many months away from winter, but I can certainly imagine it when sipping this tea! Since this is a Chai I made it with my usual cream and sugar, but only a hint of sugar since a pre-additive sip let me know that this tea is already quite sweet. The spices are nicely balanced, as with the aroma there is a little more ginger and clove than the other spices, which blends really well with the woodiness of the rooibos. Of course the cream brings out the vanilla giving the tea an extra richness.At the finish there is a bit of orange, which adds an extra layer of warmth to tea. I really like that this is a caffeine free Chai, I am a great lover of Chai both traditional and fun new takes on the tea.

For blog and photos: http://ramblingbutterflythoughts.blogspot.com/2014/08/the-persimmon-tree-tea-company-rooibos.html

It’s been while since I had a chai (I’m not counting that Thai Chai earlier because it was more of a very mildly spiced condensed milk). And this one is caffeine free, which is lovely because for some reason, I tend to be low on caffeine free options. I can see whole cloves and big pieces of dried orange peel in the mix, along with pieces of ginger root and cinnamon bark. It smells very gingery and spicy, which is a good sign. There’s a little wisp of vanilla. I brewed 5 minutes and added a little condensed milk and sugar.

Even with the additions, it smells very spicy. And it still tastes quite spicy too, hooray! I didn’t kill it! ;) The ginger is very strong, and it makes my tongue tingle! I can also detect the clove and the warmth from the cinnamon. There’s no sign of the rooibos base, and only a very little hint of vanilla. The vanilla would probably be more obvious without the milk and sugar, though, so I’m not going to count that against it.

Overall, I am very pleased with this as a late night option. It’s simple and good chai. There’s a little bit too much ginger in my opinion, but that’s more a of personal taste. Would definitely recommend as a caffeine free choice!

I can not drink enough of this tea! ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS! The mix of spices is perfect. A solid sturdy tea that may make me start drinking iced tea!

I tried this again with a spoonful of sugar. It’s okay. The sugar overpowers the chai flavor, but I remember that I didn’t much care for the tea without sugar. Maybe some cream would help it?

I finished the cup this time! I didn’t last time.