"Dirty Chai." We all wrinkled our noses a bit when we first heard that. Simply actually it is a chai latte with a shot of espresso. And it's actually pretty delicious :)
A chai latte is a black tea with spices that is infused with milk: You can learn more about it in our recent post "Chai Latte". There is a charming story about the invention of dirty chai that is said to have happened in London in the 1990s. The story goes that a barista accidentally poured an espresso into the chai latte he had just prepared for a weary traveler, "contaminating" the snow-white milk. The traveler tasted the coffee and was delighted.
This concept traveled with him and spread very quickly. It's hard to tell if the story is true, but it's very sweet, so what's the harm in hearing it?
We have a special homemade chai syrup that is as spicy as it is sweet, steamed with milk to a silky marshmallow texture. For a Dirty Chai, this syrup is poured over a single espresso, adding an extra kick to an already spicy drink. And if that's not enough, make a double and call it dirty!
