Masala Chai Toddy

Author Notes: The Masala Chai I am using is a blend of Assam and Darjeeling tea, ginger root, cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, black pepper and cinnamon. Adivasi makes an amazing blend of this tea, which on its own is distinctive: http://www.adivasi.com/adivasi/retailProducts.php?linkid=17 You can mix up a blend of your own. To make a batch of your own tea blend, add about 3 oz. each of the Assam and Darjeeling tea leaves with 3 tbl. of dried finely grated ginger root, 4 crushed green cardamom pods , 6 ground clove heads, 1 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg, 6 ground peppercorns, and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon stick. Tailor the spices to your taste to make this distinctive; otherwise it may be too bland...or find Adivasi's blend! Use a heaping tablespoon or so for each serving. Usually you think of a chai as milky, but I like the use of lemon here instead. Add a varietal honey, Meyer's lemon and your favorite cognac brandy, and this winter warmer will soothe away whatever ails you. - Sagegreen - Sagegreen

Food52 Review: I love chai, so testing Sagegreen's Masala Chai Toddy wasn't a stretch for me, although I generally drink it with milk rather than lemon. I decided to use the chai I have at home rather than make a special blend, but I followed her instructions and made the tea very strong. I agreed with what she said--the flavors can get lost if you don't. I liked the citrus notes from the lemon and Cointreau and thought this made for a really delicious toddy. One word of caution, however: Strong tea means lots of caffeine--so don't make this toddy just before bedtime (as I did!), or you might have trouble sleeping. It is a wonderful warming drink, and I definitely recommend it as an Editors' Pick. - drbabs

Serves 1

• This recipe is a Community Pick!
• This recipe was entered in the contest for A & M's Annual Smackdown / Your Best Hot Toddy

Tags: warm