Meet the Chai Guy

I was enjoying a cupcake at a recent meeting and thought, "an iced chai would be perfect right now". That thought is thanks, in part, to the Chai Guy, a local merchant I was lucky enough to meet.

If you are unfamiliar, chai is a wonderful drink that combines black tea, milk, and spices. Like regular tea, chai may be drunk hot or cold. WIth the scorching temperatures we've been having here in Western New York, I've been drinking my chai iced...like the majority of my tea.

In Rochester, NY if you love chai you know the Chai Guy and undoubtably visit him at the Public Market to get your chai fix. The Chai Guy is also known as Pat Tharp and he was kind enough to talk to me about chai and how he became the Chai Guy.

Pat stumbled upon chai as he was preparing for a missionary trip to India. Chai was served during the planning meetings leading up to the trip and he found that he really liked the beverage. He began experimenting at home, checking brewing times and ingredient ratios in the search for teh perfect cup of chai. Whenever there was a party or a pass the dish event, Pat would bring his homemade chai. One day a friend referred to him as "the Chai Guy" and the name stuck!

About three years ago Pat found "the sweet spot" and has not changed his formula. It was at that point that he decided to share his brew with the public. The Chai Guy's chai is similar to that of a craft beer. It's homemade and slow brewed, taking 24 hours to make. "There are no powders, no syrups, no concentrates, no fakery. Just a quality drink with a lot of love."

The Chai Guy offers 12 different types of chai, including vegan options, and allows you to experiment as well. I've enjoyed the Classic, but may venture into ginger my next time, and yes, he will be using pieces of fresh ginger. Or I may create my own blend combining ginger and cinnamon perhaps. Whatever flavor you choose, the chai base remains the same. Changes occur with a change of milk (including non dairy options) and the addition of fresh ingredients, even espresso!

But to Pat Tharp, it's more than just the flavor. It's the experience that comes with it. It's what the tea gives you the opportunity to do. "It's good to stop, pause, and reflect on the day." It's also a chance to meet and talk with others.

While chai is quite popular and easy to find in India and England, it's a bit trickier here in the United States. The Chai Guy is Rochester, New York's first chai crafter and he's working on bringing chai to you. You can find the Chai Guy at Rochester's Public Market as well as a farmer's market in Irondequoit. You can also purchase either his Tea Kit or his Quick Sips to make your own chai at home. The Tea Kit contains the tea and spices which you steep and then add milk and other flavors. The Quick Sips are already brewed tea and spices, you just add the milk! These kits can also be purchased at Lori's Whole Foods and the Pittsford Dairy Farm. In order to go whereever there' a need for chai, Pat is also working on a mobile chai cart!

If you're ever in the Rochester, NY area I hope you're able to visit the Chai Guy and enjoy a cup of chai. You can also check out his Website,  Facebook Page, Instagram, or Snapchat Account, "the chai guys".

As Pat would say, have a Chaitastic Day and thanks for reading!

Today’s Tea Leaf Reading: Opinionated Opinions

For my very first post I promised I wouldn’t rant about US tea (wussy) versus UK tea (able to withstand a Buffalo NY winter). So I think we should establish the definitions of “rant” and “opinionated opinions” for the purposes of this discussion.

Rant: 

Opinionated opinion: 

Civilized, I say, like a High Tea. 

Second, I want to establish my preference for tea as a jumping-off point: Strong and straight. No additives. I like tea that slaps me back.

So let’s get green tea out the way: I never touch the stuff. I tried steeping it for the recommended three minutes: Flavored water. I tried steeping it longer: Bitter flavored water. The same for white tea and flavored green tea. 

Thank you, no.

Onto black tea: Yes, please! 

That is, UK black tea. PG Tips and Yorkshire Gold are my current favorites. They stand up to boiling water and make it obey. 

I will make one US tea exception: Bigelow’s Constant Comment. Love this tea so much! One whiff of the aroma and I’m thinking sunny fall days and the scent of fallen leaves.

But the two major US brands, Lipton and Nestea, hot or iced? Thank you, no. Plain Pure Leaf and Snapple are passable, but oy the sugar in any of their flavored versions. I swear my teeth wave a white flag of surrender whenever I try one.

Herbal tea deserves a mention. I’ve tried Teavana’s teas and they’re interesting but pricey. I reserve them for gift-giving. Celestial Seasonings Peppermint however, is nectar of the gods. It stand up to lengthy brewing and is the most refreshing hot tea ever. (I said this was a post full of opinionated opinions.)

Oregon Chai is another nectar of the gods. It’s sweet but the pepper and other spices mitigate the honey and sugar. 

I’ve made my own chai mix because I love playing with different spices. It’s the only use I have for instant mass-produced plain tea.

Speaking of chai, chai scones are the best of both worlds. A good cup of tea deserves a good scone, I say.

Chai Scones(adapted by me from the Basic British Scones recipe on allrecipes.com) 

Ingredients2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 pinch salt. 1/4 cup shortening, 1/2 cup Oregon Chai tea concentrate, 2 tablespoons milk  

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil sprayed with cooking spray.Sift the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt into a bowl.Rub in the shortening until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the Chai concentrate and milk to make a soft dough.Turn onto a floured surface, knead lightly and press out to a 3/4-inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds and place on the prepared baking sheet.Bake 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are light brown and tops aren’t squishy when poked. Serve with butter or clotted cream.

All y’all are welcome to use the comments to try to convince me standard US teas aren’t a waste of time and boiling water. I’ll be over here, slathering clotted cream on a fresh scone.