There are two things that are sure to inspire the happy, cozy feeling we associate with brisk autumn nights: An old-fashioned dinner party with our dearest, loveliest friends and (you guessed it)...tea. While a hot cup of tea is the perfect way to wind down after a night of revelry, we at TeBella Tea Company like to start our gatherings with a tea-infused cocktail or two.
If there's one thing we love in the fall, it's our spiced drinks. And so for this week's tea-infused creation, we've got a Masala Chai Old Fashioned for you. In this cocktail, tea is added to a classic Old Fashioned in the form of a large, tea simple syrup ice cube. As the ice cube melts into the drink, it's spicy-sweet flavor will alter the nuances of the drink. The cardamom and cinnamon in the chai bring out vanilla notes in the bourbon.
One of the most popular teas in the world, Masala Chai is an Indian black tea mixed with a specific blend of spices: ginger, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon, and clove. It is intentionally made with a smaller leaf blend, so that it will have a harsher flavor. It is intended to be enjoyed with milk and sugar. Here, we've skipped the milk, but we think the addition of sugar to the recipe helps to heighten the spiciness of Masala Chai.