Autumn Spice Tea
The air is crisp, the leaves are turning a shade of red, gold, orange and plum with scents of cinnamon, allspice and cloves in the air. The autumn season is finally upon us and we are now surrounded with festivals in celebration of harvest and abundance for seeds of hope that we have planted earlier in the year. Everywhere you look there are pumpkins abound, in physical form on steps, porches and stores…and also in cafes serving pumpkin spice laced beverages. Upon doing some research, I discovered that many of our modern day pumpkin spice recipes originated around the 19th century where kitchens discovered a creative way to prepare pumpkin by emptying out the inside, cooking the shell and filling it with spiced milk and then roasting it over an open flame. Much like these pumpkin spice culinary pioneers, I’ve been doing a bit of creating of my own - with pumpkin chai tea. One chilly morning, I received a divine nudge from my tea spirit to grab a teaspoon of my black Pumpkin Chai tea by David’s Tea and blend it with my black Chocolate Truffle tea by Adagio Tea, the combination was delightful. The two flavors of pumpkin, spices and chocolate compliment each other so well, it felt like I was sipping hot chocolate from a pumpkin shell with a big dollop of whipped cream dusted with cinnamon.
There is a scene in the animated movie Cinderella where her fairy godmother waved her wand and turned a pumpkin into a coach. In this instance, it felt much like this beloved scene as I blended the pumpkin chai and chocolate truffle teas together - my spoon turned into a wand and the pumpkin spice tea transformed into a magical potion that transported me out of my kitchen and into a cloud of pumpkin spice. Scents of pumpkin, cinnamon spice and chocolate were circling in the air above my tea cup. The more I tossed the leaves, the more distinct the scents of chocolate and spice became.
Once I brewed this blend, the colors of Earth emerged swirling like leaves on a windy day. Heat only intensifies the aroma of this special blend, my kitchen filled with waves of warm spice and pumpkin steam. I like a strong cup of tea, so I typically let the leaves brew for at least 5 minutes. Once completely brewed, I add some cream (the cream truly brings this blend home) and then give it a couple of good stirs. Trick or treat! My palate was definitely treated with bold flavors of sweet pumpkin, spice and chocolate. No need for candy, it’s already in my cup!
With the Halloween and Thanksgiving Day holidays on the horizon, there will be plenty of opportunities to reach for pumpkin spice treats. For tea enthusiasts, I implore you to reach into your stash of tea, grab your tea wand and blend these two teas together. Stand back and let the warmth of this blend fill your kitchen and your spirit with a sweet autumn harvest.
Website: https://www.davidstea.com/us_en/tea/pumpkin-chai/10776US01VAR0056938.html and https://www.adagio.com/flavors/chocolate_truffle.html
What tea wish is your tea spirit calling you to grant today?
May all your tea wishes come true,
Fairy Teamother