What’s this?! My mouth hums
Dragonfly hovers on my tongue
Dreaming of this chai.
C. Kisler
The best tea of the 2009 is Dragonfly Spicy Black Tea Chai. Slightly sweet and heavy on the spices-just the way I like it! Cardamom, ginger, clove, pepper and cinnamon steeped in assam black tea lightly sweetened with organic cane sugar…never fails to shake my grogginess and give me some vroom vroom for the day. I can taste the peppery flavors and smell the spicy aroma even as I write!
DragonFly Chai is hand crafted in small batches using organic fair-trade teas, spices & sweeteners right here in Portland. They grind their own spices and craft each batch perfectly which is probably why it tastes so good. I really like that the company is sensitive to the environment, too. They compost the used raw ingredients and bottle their delicious nectars in used 64-oz glass bottles. So very Portland!
See this? It’s foam. This is how I like my chai…with soy milk and a meringue-like foamy head. The foamier the better. I have mapped out the places in town that make a good head of foam like K&F Clinton Street Coffee House and Bar Carlo. I also know the places in town that do not make a good foam. They make me grumpy.
I’ll say, “Can you please make sure the soy is foamy?” The person behind the counter will flash a smile and say “Sure!” and then hand over a flat, foamless drink. I’m especially disgruntled when it’s hidden by a lid so I don’t figure out the betrayal until I’m well on my way (I’m not awake when I order so I forget to check).
Now, why would I plop down more than $3 for a foamless grog when I can make a flat drink myself? I can always grab a jug at Whole Foods or New Seasons and warm it up on the stove at home (which I do). The reason why I go out of my way to ascertain the best foamers in town is for the light, airy head of soy foam to compliment my spicy chai. Mebbe I just need to order with measurements (I’ve seen it done at Starbucks): “Can you make sure there is a 4″ foamy head?” There…that should do it! I’ll let you know…
Now I gotta make my journey to New Seasons and get one of these teas! Gotta love a tea with a little kick! Love your blog! Love ya! b