Masala chai, typically shortened to “chai” in the US, is a fragrant spicy tea beverage, traditionally made by brewing black tea infused with a mixture of aromatic herbs in milk and water.

The drink originated in India an estimated 5,000 years ago, and a variety of spices have been used in various combinations throughout the centuries. Cinnamon, star anise, fennel seeds, peppercorns, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, ginger, honey, and vanilla are elements common to an authentic chai experience.

In the US, chai first gained popularity in 1994, appearing on café and coffee house menus. With overall steady growth through the past three decades, chai consumption spikes between October and January each year – with customers opting for hot chai beverages during the fall and early winter months.

Chai has also become a favorite offering among café industry distributors and operators. With innovations in shelf-stable packaging, as well as easy-to-store concentrates and powders that yield an authentic cup, chai looks to be a regular menu feature for the foreseeable future.

With the hot chai latte being one of the most popular preparations, the comfort of a warm mug of spiced tea has appeal for fall and winter seasonal menus. Many of the traditional spices used in chai are familiar to American consumers through classic winter holiday recipes and seasonal pies, cookies, and other comforting treats: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, honey, vanilla, etc.

Creative baristas may also customize chai lattes with a variety of flavored syrups, sauces, and garnishes for a premium experience.

Another advantage chai offers is its versatility. In addition to a traditional warm preparation, or creative custom chai latte, chai is a popular choice to be served over ice, as well.

In addition to its seasonal tie and versatility, chai may also serve as an alternative to coffee for consumers looking to regulate caffeine consumption. Black tea contains less caffeine per serving compared to a cup of joe.

Statistics show that chai beverages have a high growth rate among vegan consumers, as well, with the healthful perception and plant-based ingredients of black tea, spices, and a dairy alternative, such as oat or almond milk.

Chai may also offer something just outside the ordinary for many. The idea of “culinary tourism” has gained popularity the past few years. With a global pandemic disrupting the travel industry, individuals shifted focus toward seeking micro-adventures within the home or through to-go orders from a neighborhood cafe, even though physical travel was limited. Chai proved to be a way to experience a mini “vacation in a mug” to another culture in an easily accessible manner.

It is certain that chai has broad appeal and versatility. And while consumption peaks during fall and winter, the iced beverage trend ensures that chai will remain a favorite among customers, operators, and distributors in all seasons, for a long time.

Perhaps it will be a menu mainstay for another 5,000 years.

Houston’s carries chai offerings ranging from powders, concentrates, and sachets to steep from trusted vendors like David Rio, Maya Tea, Smith Teamaker, Numi, Kerry Foodservice, Mocafe, Cappuccine, Two Leaves and a Bud, and others.

Read more about industry trends on the Houston’s Blog.

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David Rio Pumpkin Chai Latte. Photo Courtesy of David Rio

David Rio Pumpkin Chai Latte

1 scoop/3T Red Panda Pumpkin Chai™

8 oz milk

Whipped cream and cinnamon

Add chai to milk and steam together in an espresso machine.  Top with whipped cream and garnish with cinnamon.

David Rio’s new, seasonal Red Panda Pumpkin Chai™ is a rich and creamy mixture of black tea, exotic spices, and sweet pumpkin.  Available for a limited time in 4lb bags or 14 oz retail canisters, this delicious chai makes it easier than ever to make a pumpkin chai latte!

Torani Pumpkin Spice Latte. Photo courtesy of Torani

Torani Pumpkin Spice Latte

2 Tbsp (1 oz) Torani Pumpkin Pie Sauce

1 Cup (8 oz) Milk

2 Shots Espresso

Whipped Cream for Garnish

Heat milk and Torani Pumpkin Pie Sauce in a pan.  Stir with whisk to create foam.  Add espresso to a tall glass and pour milk mixture on top.  Spoon a layer of foamed milk over beverage and top with whipped cream.

Torani’s tasty take on the popular pumpkin spice latte is sure to be a hit! Check out all of Torani’s pumpkin items including Pumpkin Pie Sauce (available in 64 oz and 16.5 oz), Pumpkin Pie Syrup (regular, PET, and sugar free), and Pumpkin Spice Syrup (regular).

Monin Creamy Pumpkin Pie Martini. Photo courtesy of Monin

Monin Creamy Pumpkin Pie Martini

½ oz coffee liqueur

½ oz Irish cream liqueur

1 oz Vodka

¾ oz Monin Pumpkin Spice Syrup

Ice

¼ oz half & half

Combine ingredients in a shaker in the order listed and shake vigorously.  Strain into a chilled glass.  Garnish with whipped cream and graham cracker crust.

Monin’s pumpkin syrups are perfect for festive cocktails like this creamy pumpkin pie martini.  Monin Pumpkin Pie Syrup and Pumpkin Spice Syrup are available in glass and PET bottles.

Happy pumpkin spice season!

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Adding spice brightens food and gives it depth and complexity.

Properly seasoned food is the key to good taste.  When your guest comments on how great the food tastes you can be certain that the food was seasoned to perfection.  But how do you season to excellent taste?  The simple answer is that practice makes perfect, but having a starting point to guide you will send you down the right path.

Chef Mark Chayette, in response to an article in Restaurant Hospitality about properly seasoned food, says, “You can’t intellectualize about salt and pepper.”  Chayette understood the importance of the basics—you can use all the exotic ingredients you want to flavor your dishes but none of those elements will matter if your food is fundamentally off.  Chef Thom Bennet likens seasoning “to making music.  There has to be a harmony to the flavors that ultimately produces a flavor that is complex without having one taste or seasoning dominate and overpower the dish.  That is the magic part.”  If you want to read more about what these chefs and others say about seasoning, you can read the article here.

Making harmony is part of a process but will make the flavors of your food more vibrant than they would otherwise be.  Food must be cooked with salt in order for this to occur—and food that is salted at the table will just taste salty.  Tasting food in the back of the house and adjusting seasonings from there is absolutely imperative.  Dissect the flavor profile.  If you notice anything missing or if you notice one flavor dominates your dish, season accordingly.  Food should be a complex balance of flavors, a marrying of the five known tastes:  sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and Umami.

To accomplish this harmony, try practicing the following steps:

1. Does the dish need salt?  Most of the time the answer is a resounding “YES!”  Add about a half teaspoon at a time, stirring in between, to reduce bitterness and heighten the flavors.
2. Does the dish need more spices? The amounts of spices given in a recipe are usually a general guideline, and good chefs will adjust according to the needs of their restaurant.  Add just a pinch of spice at a time until you accomplish the flavor you want.
3. Does the dish need acidity? Acid will help the flavor in an entree shine.  Try adding a splash of citrus juice, some vinegar or wine, or even some hot sauce to brighten up the meal.
4. Does the dish need more depth? Remember, you want your food to be complex and not just ordinary.  If the flavors seem okay to you but seems a little lackluster, try adding umami flavors.  Worcestershire or soy sauce can do the trick, or perhaps minced anchovies or tomato paste will help your food achieve the brightness you desire.
5. Does the dish need more richness? Cream or butter will work wonders in melding the flavors in food.

Cooking need not be implemented with the same precision as, say, baking.  The biggest thing to remember is that it does take some practice to get the seasoning right, and detecting the subtle nuances of the food you are creating will get easier after time.  Cooking with this in mind will make the learning process easier, and really, more fun.  Because you get to taste all those great sauces and soups as you make them.  Bon appetit!

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Jasmine Spiced Filet Mignon

Ingredients

Jasmine Spiced Filet Mignon. Photo Credit: Henner Zeller

1-2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, crushed

2 teaspoons rosemary, finely chopped

1 teaspoon basil, finely chopped

½ teaspoon parsley, finely chopped

2 teaspoons loose jasmine tea leaves

5 tablespoons olive oil

4 filet mignon steaks

Combine tea, pepper, rosemary, basil, and parsley with olive oil and rub over steaks.  Place on grill preheated to medium-high.  Cook to desired temperature.  Let rest before serving.

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Ginger is the root of the plant Zingiber officinale, a member of the same family that includes turmeric, and cardamom.  It has been an important herbal medicine for thousands of years, tracing its roots nearly to time immemorial, back to early Asian, Indian, and Arabic herbal traditions, being used to treat upset stomach, nausea, and to aid in digestion from its earliest discovery.  It is only recently that many other health benefits have been discovered, including, but not limited to, nausea caused by chemotherapy, by pregnancy, by motion sickness, and by surgery.  It can be used as a natural remedy to cold and flu—to help relieve persistent cough and sore throat pertinent to the common cold, and has been found effective in managing glucose levels, which in turn may help to impact weight gain or loss.  Additionally, ginger can help reduce pain and inflammation and soothe heartburn.

With all these health benefits and more, it is easy to see where ginger has gained societal favor.  But then one can take a sidebar over to the culinary sector, in order to see the other side of ginger—the tangy, peppery freshness with the sweet hint of lemon, the light taste of spiciness and warmth, of musty/earthy flavor, and the pungent, sharp aroma.  And ginger doesn’t discriminate—it appeals to every cuisine and every type of specialty food; it crosses cultures and culinary boundaries; it’s no longer just for Asian cooking.  And at the end of the day, ginger has few limitations.  Ginger works with almost every ingredient, and “draws a connection with other flavors such as tarragon, anise and rosemary,” executive chef Floyd Cardoz remarks.  He uses ginger, garlic and shallots in practically every dish he creates.  It has a natural affinity to meats, poultry, and fish, and there aren’t many (if any) fruits or vegetables that fresh ginger won’t pair well with.

Even beverages draw from the unique flavor of ginger, relying on its spice and aroma to flavor everything from teas to sodas to cocktails.  The Moscow Mule, a sweet/spicy concoction of ginger beer, vodka, and lime juice is making its way through the social scene, in bars and restaurants alike.  The already-trendy mojito can be taken from great to fabulous with the addition of ginger—simply muddle the freshly grated root with the mint leaves.

Ginger continues to trend as one of the world’s most important spices, and American consumption is ever on the rise.  If you want to try it out for yourself, keep these tips in mind:  when purchasing, avoid ginger that looks wrinkled; fresh ginger has a thin, nearly translucent skin with a firm texture and a spicy fragrance.  Peel your ginger before using it, and opt to add at least some (if not all) toward the end of preparing your recipe.  Ginger can be added raw or cooked, and works well for marinades, to make tea, and is an especially tasty accompaniment to apple dishes.  Fresh ginger will keep for around two weeks in the refrigerator, and ground ginger should be good for up to about six months when stored in an airtight container.

Read on for some creative recipes using fresh ginger.

Ginger Mint Mojito

2 limes, cut into quarters

¾ cup light rum

10-12 mint sprigs

¼ cup white sugar

2-3 tablespoons freshly minced ginger

2 cups soda water

Squeeze the limes into a bowl, then drop in the remaining solids.  Muddle with the rum, mint, sugar, and ginger.  Let sit a while to allow the flavors to meld, then fill four glasses with ice.  Pour the mixture over ice then top with soda water.  Enjoy!

Carrot Ginger Soup

Creamy Carrot Ginger Soup

3 tablespoons butter

6 large carrots, peeled and sliced

2 onions, chopped

1-2 teaspoons freshly minced ginger

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Orange zest

Sautee carrots and onion in butter until the onions soften.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the broth and simmer until carrots soften.  Use an immersion blender to puree until smooth.  Garnish with freshly chopped herbs and sour cream.  Serves four.

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Right now it’s easier than ever to understand the driving forces behind the beverage boom. It’s fall, it’s chilly, and warm and spicy is all the rage. The Pumpkin Spice Latte, a mass-market hit since its inception, is just one product that has people running to coffee shops to get their “fix.” And the treat isn’t isolated to Starbucks, its inventor. Convenience stores such as 7-11 offer up the hot drink during the holiday season, and Dunkin’ Donuts has joined the craze with their own version—the Pumpkin Crème Brulee Latte. And swap out regular dairy milk for almond or coconut milk, another fad accounting for the increased coffee shop sales, and you have just opened your doors to an entirely different market…the nut milks allow vegans to enjoy a decadent coffee drink alongside their dairy counterparts.

Seasonal beverages aren’t the only trend in world of beverages, though. Specialty hand-crafted sodas are making a splash in the refreshment department. Sonic, with an already-extensive list of beverages, has recently expanded their menu to include lower calorie sodas with flavorings that they already carry: Peach, Raspberry, Blackberry-Pineapple, Sunshine Berry, and Hawaiian Wave—the latter two including pieces of fresh fruit, diced small enough to be sipped through the straw. And Starbucks introduced their new Fizzio line during the past summer, their own lighter versions of ginger ale, lemon ale, and root beer that are not only lower in calories but also are caffeine-free and contain no high-fructose corn syrup, artificial flavors, or preservatives.

Alcoholic libations are also on the rise, as restaurants and even coffee shops stretch their creative minds to add new twists to old favorites, evidenced by the rise of fancy, fruity martinis or savory cocktails that implement infusion of different herbs and spices into their traditional offerings. Even the fast-casual dining segment is furiously working to find ways to integrate alcohol sales into their growing culture—a difficult feat as they are simply not operationally set up for it. Larry Leith, of Tokyo Joe’s (based in Denver), is in the process of testing a service that will include a staff member walking the floor during the weekends, offering to bring additional beer to thirsty diners.

These are just a spattering of examples of why beverages are a part of the 10 biggest restaurant trends to watch for in 2015. It’s easy to see the allure to business operators and customers alike, and the effect they will have on sales in the coming year and beyond.

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Photo courtesy of Maya Chai

Chai. It’s all the rage—more than just a rich Indian drink, chai is now used in coffeehouses across the country. And it is used to flavor foods (think breads, oatmeal, and even ice cream.) But before chai became a craze, before it was even a household term, a young Manish Shah was sipping his mother’s own chai recipe in his family’s kitchen. The aroma of the spice combinations—vanilla, saffron, coriander, pepper, anise—was a source of comfort to Manish. Fifteen years ago, still before the infatuation with chai, Manish wanted to bring his mother’s recipe to the American people. He created a tea that maintained the integrity of his mother’s recipe and began selling it at local farmers’ markets. Growing with the demand, Maya Chai was soon created, and today you can buy Manish’s concentrated versions—Original or the spicier Devi—for your coffee shop or restaurant. The 11:1 concentrate is efficient and economic, and the flavor is authentic.

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