Masala Chai

     I love masala chai.  It is, hands down, my favorite beverage.  Unfortunately, it is expensive to purchase, either as powdered instant, concentrate, or from Dutch Bros (I don't buy from Starbucks; they water down the concentrate and then add the milk.)
     So I went to my favorite source of recipes - the internet.  I found several and tried them.  Then I took the one I liked the best and tweaked it.  Hard.  In fact, what I ended up doing was create my own recipe.  For those who don't like masala chai, this recipe isn't even close to what you buy at Starbucks or Dutch Bros.  It's a lot less sweet and a lot more flavorful with a hint of heat from the peppercorns.
     Here's the recipe:

Masala Chai

6 cups water

36 peppercorns (I like the mixed variety)

12 cloves, whole

6" cinnamon stick

1/2 tsp ginger, ground

1/2 tsp cardamom, ground

1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated

6 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 cups milk

7 teabags

5-6 Tbsp vanilla syrup

Pour water into medium-sized kettle.  

Crush or grind the peppercorns, cloves, and cinnamon bark and add them

 to the water along with the ginger and cardamom.  

Bring to a boil, remove from heat, cover, and let sit for 10 minutes.

Add the sugar, nutmeg, and milk.  Bring to boil again.

Remove from heat, add teabags, cover and let steep for 15 minutes.

Remove teabags but only squeeze them enough to keep them from dripping.  If squeezed too hard, you'll get an undesirable 'stewed tea' flavor.

Strain into heat-proof container.  Add syrup, stir, and enjoy.

Makes about 7 cups

Approximate cost per cup:  40¢

     I'll make up a batch, store it in the fridge, and re-heat it as I want it.  I'm not going to post how quickly I can go through a batch but it will keep in the fridge for a few days.  I tried using vanilla extract but wasn't happy with the flavor.  I didn't try a vanilla bean...the price gave me a heart attack.

     I do wish to point out that if you intend to use your coffee grinder for the spices, make sure it's completely cleaned of the coffee oils.  I suggest you have one dedicated to coffee and another one for spices and whatever else you need to grind.  I use a mortar and pestle.  The cinnamon was a bit of a challenge for me at first.  It takes a lot to reduce six inches of cinnamon bark to splinters, let alone anything close to powder, in a mortar and pestle.  So I break it into fourths, fold the pieces into a paper towel and take the flat side of my meat tenderizer to it before finishing it off in the mortar and pestle.

     

Bradlee's First Haircut

     It was more of a hair trim than a haircut, really.  His long newborn hair was mighty uneven with the new growth coming in.  I figured I'd hold him while Jenn cut but she wasn't feeling confident with scissors and comb, having used only electric barbershop trimmers, so I did the honors.
     Richelle was handed the camera but quickly assumed the pressing role of Baby Entertainer.  I scratch my head over the fact that it took three people to cut the boy's hair:  One to hold him, one to entertain him and snap a photo here and there, and one to do the cutting.  At barely five months, he's not sitting on his own although he's getting pretty steady, so the holder couldn't really be the entertainer, too.
     His duck-down hair was so light!  Usually, I dampen the guys' hair and then give my wrist a flick to send the cut bits to the floor instead of onto my arm and up my sleeve and between my fingers.  Bradlee's hair dried so fast that when I'd flick my wrist, a little puff of brown smudge would launch softly into the air, hover a bit, and then lightly float down.  I think if I'd inhaled deeply at any point, I'd have had Bradlee-hair in my mouth.
     I know he looks big enough to go kick around the soccer ball and at twenty pounds and measuring twenty-seven inches, he is.  However, he hasn't learned yet how to crawl and one must walk before one can run.
     I felt quite privileged to be the one running the scissors.  How many grandmas get to give their grandsons their first hair trim?