Bombay Chai

The base of this Tea Forté Chai tea is black tea from the Nilgiri region in South India. Nilgiri literally means 'blue hill'. Many waterfalls, flowering plant species and high mountains are found in the Nilgiri region, including Doddabetta Peak, the highest in the range at 8,652 ft. The Nilgiri Hills are part of the Nilgiri Biosphere Reserve, which is part of the protected bio-reserves in India.

Chai is in many languages the word for tea and is believed to be derived from the Cantonese 'cha' (for example Persian, Hindi, Korean, Russian, Mandarin, and Swahili). In the Western world, chai tea is mostly referred to as a full-flavor, spiced Indian black tea that is enjoyed from morning until night in India, where it is traditionally served with boiling whole milk and sugar for a unique infusion.

The wonderful yet delicately composed mélange of ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, star anise, black pepper, and flavoring gives Tea Forté Chai tea its character. Tea Forté Chai contains very flavorful and aromatic spices. This black tea is known as a 'very forgiving black tea', meaning that it is almost impossible to 'over steep'. Our Bombay Chai combines black tea with spices in a traditional Indian masala chai. Chai recipes vary enormously, using different spices, sugars, and types of milk. However, they are uniformly well-lightened and sweetened.

While "chai" is used in English to refer to nearly any spiced tea or tea latte drink, chai is the generic word for tea in India, Iran, Thailand, and elsewhere, and very similar to the word for tea in Japan, "cha" (as seen in Sencha).

We strongly recommend milk and a sweetener to taste with our Bombay Chai. For a richer drink, heat your milk before adding it, and use up to 1 part milk for every 2 parts water. Prepared in this fashion, our Bombay Chai is a great breakfast tea, particularly in winter.

Read more about Chai Tea:

• Tea Blend Spotlight: Bombay Chai
• How to Make a Chai Latte
• Recipe: Bombay Chai Hot Toddy
• Recipe: Bombay Chai Breakfast Smoothie
• Recipe: Caramel Chai Cupcakes
• Recipe: Bombay Chai Pear Crisp