TeaChat

Is there a way I can make my own blends at home similar to Teavana's White Ayurvedic Chai and Samuri Chai Mate? I hate paying so much for something I think I could make at home using bulk teas from my local health food store. Thanks!

You can certainly make your own blends of spiced tea at home.

A starting point would be good 'ol wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Masala_chai

Then search for 'east indian chai' to get 1001 recipes.

Okay.
As a former Teavana Employee I can honestly tell you that buying a cup of tea over the counter increases the taste of the tea (its psychological)
I can't tell you how many times customers whine about how they can never brew it right themselves. Its kinda like eating at P.F. Chang's
How the atmosphere and the dim light setting give you that "vibe"
Then when you take home their food or order straight from takeout the food it like meh quality.

SlientSipper wrote:Okay.
As a former Teavana Employee I can honestly tell you that buying a cup of tea over the counter increases the taste of the tea (its psychological)

While different people may have different psychological effects, I will say that I only ordered a cup of tea over the counter from Teavana and other places after I knew a bit or two about brewing tea, and often found that I produced better results personally. One notorious time is my favorite at the time which was from Teavana Assam Golden Rain, seemed a bit lackluster when they brewed it.

AdamMY wrote:

SlientSipper wrote:Okay.
As a former Teavana Employee I can honestly tell you that buying a cup of tea over the counter increases the taste of the tea (its psychological)

While different people may have different psychological effects, I will say that I only ordered a cup of tea over the counter from Teavana and other places after I knew a bit or two about brewing tea, and often found that I produced better results personally. One notorious time is my favorite at the time which was from Teavana Assam Golden Rain, seemed a bit lackluster when they brewed it.

the majority of people who order over the counter tea at teavana
have never brewed it themselves before. also
"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded."
In this case, Teavana's Pizazz can buy favor in the uneducated masses.

SlientSipper wrote:
the majority of people who order over the counter tea at teavana
have never brewed it themselves before. also
"The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded."
In this case, Teavana's Pizazz can buy favor in the uneducated masses.

Yeah, I agree. I feel tea is something so personal that when you know enough about brewing rarely does tea brewed by someone else taste better or as good as we would make it for ourselves when someone else brews it. not to mention that I personally enjoy tea in a personal and tranquil environment and when there are too many extraneous stimuli the tea tends to taste bland.

AdamMY wrote: Yeah, I agree. I feel tea is something so personal that when you know enough about brewing rarely does tea brewed by someone else taste better or as good as we would make it for ourselves when someone else brews it.

For me, it's the opposite... like with cooking, I have a hard time not being analytical or hyper-critical with my own brewing / teas, and more of a tendency to compare . With someone else brewing, I can sometimes relax a little more and enjoy the tea for what it is.

I have no problem getting the taste I want when I steep it on my own. I'd just like to be able to make the actual blend of tea/spices to get a very similar taste from those teas. It would save me so much money. I buy most of my tea from a local health food store except those 2 obviously.

mrshill9310 wrote:I have no problem getting the taste I want when I steep it on my own. I'd just like to be able to make the actual blend of tea/spices to get a very similar taste from those teas. It would save me so much money. I buy most of my tea from a local health food store except those 2 obviously.

I attempted to mirror the same tea actually..My daughter had sampled that Teavana White Ayurvedic Chai walking thru the mall one day and really liked it. I went onto their website and saw what they listed for ingredients and then actually went to adagio's site and made a blend of lemongrass and "white tropics" and also got a bag of the green chai then blended them together. came out to my daughter and wifes liking anyway But im sure you could also do it on your own outside of adagio too

iannon wrote: I attempted to mirror the same tea actually..My daughter had sampled that Teavana White Ayurvedic Chai walking thru the mall one day and really liked it. I went onto their website and saw what they listed for ingredients and then actually went to adagio's site and made a blend of lemongrass and "white tropics" and also got a bag of the green chai then blended them together. came out to my daughter and wifes liking anyway But im sure you could also do it on your own outside of adagio too

iannon:
You may have just became my favorite person in the world! I'll have to try that when I run out of the White Ayurvedic Chai. I currently can't have black tea, coffee, or soda so I'm trying to find white, green, and herbal teas. I've bought several different types of tea leaves and herbs at my local health food store and really like them and have had fun blending them. Plain white tea is actually pretty darn good with Teavana's strawberry lemonade that I hadn't used b/c I wasn't really liking it by itself.

There's seemingly a lot of what's called 'ayurdevic chai' recipes out there. Substitute black tea for white tea. If you can't have black tea and coffee, then green tea packs a lot more punch than many black teas. Unless the green tea is not very good/fresh. So if it has to do with the boost associated with black tea and coffee, then green tea would be out of the picture also.

skilfautdire wrote:There's seemingly a lot of what's called 'ayurdevic chai' recipes out there. Substitute black tea for white tea. If you can't have black tea and coffee, then green tea packs a lot more punch than many black teas. Unless the green tea is not very good/fresh. So if it has to do with the boost associated with black tea and coffee, then green tea would be out of the picture also.

It doesn't have to do with the caffeine which is good. It is the amount of oxalate in the products. White and herbal teas have little or no oxalate, Green teas have some so I have to watch that a little bit, and black tea and coffee are high oxalate foods and a HUGE NO-NO for me. If I had to go without caffeine someone might get hurt. I tell my husband giving me coffee is like giving an alcoholic communion wine. BAD IDEA lol