Okay, so today I wanted to try something new, a little out of my comfort zone, but hey, that’s how we grow, right? I decided to make this thing called “oolong chai”. Yeah, the name sounded fancy, and I was curious. I’ve always been a fan of regular chai, you know, that spicy, milky tea that warms you up from the inside out. But oolong? That was new territory.

First, I had to figure out what oolong even was. Turns out, it’s like a middle ground between green tea and black tea. I grabbed some oolong tea leaves from my cupboard, I remember I bought them a long time ago because someone told me oolong tea is good for relieving stress. Then, from the internet, I learned that it’s partially oxidized, which gives it a unique flavor. The more you know! So, I got my oolong tea leaves and the usual chai ingredients – black tea, cinnamon, cloves, and some nutmeg I found in the back of my spice drawer.

Brewing process:

Brewing time!

• I started by brewing the black tea and oolong tea together. I just tossed them in a pot with some water and let it simmer. I like my tea strong, so I let it brew for a good five minutes. You do you, though.
• While that was going on, I crushed the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg with a mortar and pestle. It felt very…witchy, in a good way. The smell was amazing, instantly made the kitchen feel cozy.
• Next, I added the crushed spices to the tea and let it all simmer together for another few minutes. The aroma was getting intense! I also added milk in this step. I used whole milk because I wanted that creamy texture, but you can use any milk you like. I was so excited at this step, you know?
• Finally, I turned off the heat and let it steep for a bit longer. Patience is a virtue, they say, especially when it comes to tea. It turned out that it’s true, the longer it sits the more flavor it has!

Then, I strained the tea into a mug, added a little honey because I like my chai sweet, and took a sip. Wow. Just wow. It was like the best of both worlds. The familiar warmth of chai, but with this added layer of complexity from the oolong. It was smooth, slightly floral, and had just the right amount of spice. I have to say, I am impressed, this drink really reduces my stress! And the smell! I wish I could make a candle out of this smell.

Honestly, this oolong chai experiment was a total win. It was fun, it was flavorful, and it was surprisingly easy. I’m definitely adding this to my regular tea rotation. If you’re looking for something new to try, give it a shot! You might just surprise yourself.