Chai Time

A while back I had posted about my love for the Shah-family chai, and now I'm excited to share the recipe. I'm in the habit of picking up ginger and mint with each trip to the grocery store so that I can make the tea on a regular basis.

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 tbsp. Wagh Bhakri brand tea, a granular black tea found at Indian grocery stores
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 1 inch ginger, peeled and finely grated
• 6 fresh mint leaves

Makes 3 cups

In a small saucepan, combine the water, milk, tea, sugar, and ginger. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once the tea reaches a boil, reduce heat and stir in the mint leaves. Return the tea to a boil and then promptly remove from heat. Strain tea and add more milk and sugar to your desired taste.

Cucumber Cool Down

Last week's heat spell took a toll on our once-thriving cucumber vine (not to mention our ability to function). It no longer looks as lush, but it's still producing cucumbers so I can't give up on it completely. To cool us down a bit I harvested a few cucumbers and made refreshing 'kachumber' coolers:

4 Cucumbers, Peeled and Seeded
Juice from 1 Lime
1/2 cup Simple Syrup
6 ounces Gin
1/2 cup Club Soda
Fresh Mint

Liquify the peeled and seeded cucumbers in a food processor. Press pulp through a fine mesh strainer to capture the cucumber juice. Discard solids. You should have about 1/2 cup of cucumber juice. Add an equal amount of simple syrup. (To make the simple syrup, bring equal amounts of water and sugar to a boil. Turn burner off and let liquid cool.)

Add the juice of one lime to the cucumber and sugar water, about 2 Tablespoons. Fill a large tumbler with ice and add one and a half ounces of gin, two ounces of the cucumber/lime/sugar water. Top off with club soda and garnish with a cucumber wedge and muddled mint. Ahhh... so refreshing! The remaining cucumber mixture can be stored in the fridge for up to a week. Just give it a shake before using as the fine pulp settles to the bottom.

When it Raines, it Pours

We must have passed Raines Law Room hundreds of times, but we didn't notice this subterranean speakeasy until our friends Max & Joanna pointed it out to us. It's a place you'd expect to come with an attitude, but we experienced nothing close to pretension.

After ringing the unmarked doorbell, the host quietly greeted us and ushered us to a semi-private alcove which we had reserved. The waitress told us she would remain scarce so as not to interrupt our conversation, but if we needed service to pull the chain on the wall. How utterly civilized. Even the menu was something to treasure-- a worn red leather album with gold photo corners and vintage type. I sipped on the French Affair while Ronak enjoyed the somewhat stronger Philadelphia Story.

North of the Border

If there's one thing about winter that we can get excited about it's hot chocolate-- drinking it from a paper cup on the street or from a mug cozy on the couch. Either way, it has to be made from scratch.

I usually use dutch cocoa, but the alluring packaging of Taza Mexican Chocolate inspired me to try something different. I didn't know this, but Mexican hot chocolate is traditionally made with water. Since we prefer milk, I used skim to maintain a thin consistency. It also takes a bit more work to make than I expected. The discs have to be finely grated and gradually added to hot milk, then continually whisked for 2 minutes straight. The result did not disappoint... the hot chocolate was rich, but not too sweet, with a perfect frothy head of foam.

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Today Bonne-Maman, Arlette and Mom came over to our place for brunch. Since it was Bonne-Maman and Arlette's first time visiting we prepared a special menu for the occasion, starting up spicy and ending on a sweet note.

Bloody Marys
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Arugula, Bacon and Gruyère Bread Pudding
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Swiss Chard with Pomegranate Seeds
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Molten Chocolate Cakes en Cocotte
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Our New Stumping Ground

As an alternative to the numerous Starbucks in the city we decided to check out Stumptown Coffee last weekend. It's located in the Ace Hotel just a short stroll from our apartment. Originating in Portland, the Stumptown brand has thankfully made it's way to NYC, bringing along its charm and its beans.

It was particularly brisk last Saturday, so even though the line was long we were happy to step into this cozy cafe just to escape the cold. Stumptown has a 1940's vibe, with baristas wearing vests and newsies-style caps. Once we realized that we could be served from the hotel lobby we parked ourselves there, shed our coats, and absorbed the mid-century atmosphere. The coffee was rich and smooth and we agreed that once we're out of Peet's, Stumptown will become our new home staple.

Cha-ahhhh...

In my family drinking tea is a household ritual. After school my sister and I used to curl up on the couch and engage in typical teenage gossip while recounting our daily dramas. In the evenings my mom made tea to gather the family from our respective corners of the house. Having lived away from my family home for 11 years now and lived with countless roommates, I've always sought to continue this ritual wherever I am (possibly force-feeding tea to a roommate or two).

But alas, I have found a family that also honors this tea-drinking tradition. Visiting Ronak's family for the first time, riddled with nerves, I was greeted with kindness and a cup of steaming hot chai. While ordinary to them, chai is a novelty tea in my home, where Lipton is the norm. The experience inspired me to recreate the chai using Ronak's family recipe, one that is simpler than I would have expected: a blend of loose black tea, water, milk, grated ginger, fresh mint and sugar. A simple formula that stirs up a nostalgic sense of home.