cold day in April means homemade chai

April in Ohio- one day it's 60 and the next it's snowing!

It's a great day for some chai tea!  

I decided to take my crock pot and ingredients and make chai for the office.

The base of the tea is almond milk, then I add my ingredients and test until I have a flavor I like.  And I guess we really can't call it tea- since I don't add any tea to my mix.  You could if you want the caffeine in it,  I add a little fennel, star anise, cloves, pink peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, a little almond, saffron,  and cardamon seeds.

I crushed all the ingredients in my mortar and pestle. 

I love that there is no sugar added,  The sweetness in the vanilla almond milk is a nice compliment to the other ingredients.

Tasting this reminds me a fall, I mean I love chai year round, but something about these specific flavors scream fall to me.

Don't let the almond milk boil.  After about an hour it was ready.  I wanted it a little more spicy- someone suggested I try more clove and some ginger.

ideas for a tea cart lead to ideas of a Tea Truck!!!

I bought this cheap cart for $3. I use it as my Kombucha cart.  I needed it fixed because it was wobbly.  We call my dad "Clint" because he is able to make anything.- like Clint on Fixer Upper.

He was able to screw it all together. and now it is very stable.

However, now I tagging new options for my dad to make :)  I want an attractive kitchen kombucha cart I can wheel around my kitchen.

These carts are just my style.  I would love to have my dad make one of these for me!!! (lol dad!!)



I also discovered these two "carts" that I would love to pull behind my car and take sell scones and tea!  I know I am just dreaming.  It is fun to dream and think about how I can get my tea out there.  This looks like a fun way!  

This truck is super cool too!!  As I dream about a Tea Truck, I love to tag fun vehicles.  See what I have below:

If anyone has a vehicle they want to donate to me to start my tea business on the road- let me know!!  :)

 

 

Tea Glorious Tea

What is your favorite tea?  Loose or bagged tea?

Me, loose tea all the way.  I love Teavana, but they are no longer around.  I love Bluebird tea but they are in England- so shipping is not cheap (BUT COMPLETELY WORTH IT).  In the states I like Tea Forte, Ohio Tea Company, Smith Tea, and many more.   I encourage  you to keep trying teas and find ones you love.

Tea party to raise money for cancer research

I was very excited to attend my third tea party put on by the Cancer Crusaders team.  The have a new relationship with The James in Columbus.  I am always surprised that the tickets are only $10.  I think they could easily charge $12- I mean it is a fund raiser after all.

https://cancer.osu.edu/

I was sad that my mom was out of town and could not attend. I ended up going by myself and sitting with people I did not know.  But, they were very nice and I had a great time.   We discovered I went to school with her kids and her husband went to school with my dad.  Being on my own will never stop me from doing things.

The tea is held at the Christ Church, Unite Church of Christ in Orrville.

Yes, admittedly I am a tea snob.  The tea food is so amazing, but this year I snuck in some really good tea!  Instead of using the Bigelow tea they provided I brought Skinny Minny Bluebird tea.  It was a really good Pu-erh and Oolong tea.

https://bluebirdteaco.com/uk_en/shop/search/skinny-minny.html?your_mood=126

Lemon bread, pinwheels, and delicious sweets

Chicken salad, mini quiches, egg salad finger sandwiches and so much more

Mini scones, chocolate covered strabwerries....

All this for $10- and we all got seconds!  So yummy!!!

After we all enjoyed our tea food we played a tea game.  The Team had gone to a pottery place and painted tea pots (sorry I have no photos- I know that is a shocker)  and the winner of PARTY BINGO would win a tea pot.  It was lots of fun and very clever. All the words they pulled were tea related- like- Downton Abby, High Tea, Crumpets, Hats, Gloves, Green Tea, Cream Puff, etc..