With our free press under threat and federal funding for public media gone, your support matters more than ever. Help keep the LAist newsroom strong, become a monthly member or increase your support today during our fall member drive.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Recipe: DIY Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte
Photo courtesy of American Tea Room
()
The weather might not change very much here in always sunny SoCal, so we look to seasonal indicators like produce and flavor profiles to help us figure out where we are on the calendar. And nothing is more synonymous with fall than the flavors of pumpkin spice.
Starbucks' pumpkin spice lattes are the powerhouse in this department, but there are plenty of drinks and eats out there that use these warming autumnal flavors without the undertones of burnt coffee. One of them is American Tea Room in Beverly Hills, where owner David Barenholtz uses some of his teas to make soul-warming sips like his pumpkin spice chai.
Barenholtz spends a good portion of the year traveling the world looking for the best tea leaves around to sell in his sleek Canon Drive storefront. And spicy ATR's Cape Town Chai makes for a perfect caffeine-free tea latte that allows you to enjoy the seasonal flavors minus the espresso-driven jitters. Though Barenholtz uses store-bought pumpkin spice syrup, which you can find readily at Cost Plus World Market, we suggest using this awesome recipe for homemade syrup from The Messy Baker.
Here's how it's done:
Support for LAist comes from
Ingredients
For drink
3 heaping teaspoons loose leaf chai (American Tea Room recommends its Cape Town Chai)
12 oz water
6 oz milk
1 oz pumpkin spice syrup (see below)
1/2 teaspoon caramel sauce, plus a drizzle to garnish
For syrup
*recipe via The Messy Baker
1 and 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup light or dark brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 and 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
Method:
Support for LAist comes from
Start by making the syrup. In a medium saucepan, add water and both sugars. Simmer on medium-low heat until the sugar dissolves, about 4 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and whisk in cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and pumpkin puree. Simmer for 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the mixture to come to a boil. Remove from the heat and strain through a mesh strainer lined with cheese cloth or a very thin, clean tea towel.
Allow the syrup to cool to room-temperature before stirring in the vanilla extract. Store in a mason jar or airtight container. The syrup will last for 1 month at room-temperature or 3 months in the refrigerator.
Once the syrup has cooled, assemble the latte. Measure out 3 heaping teaspoons of loose leaf chai and brew into 12 oz. of water at 200 degrees for 5 minutes. (200 degrees is just below boiling, so boil your water, then wait a minute for it to cool if you don't have an electric kettle with a thermometer.) Meanwhile, steam or froth 6 oz. of milk. To your tea brew, add 1 oz. pumpkin spice syrup and 1/2 teaspoon caramel. Mix thoroughly. Combine your tea and milk, dolloping a bit of foam on top. Drizzle a little caramel on top. Enjoy.
At LAist, we believe in journalism without censorship and the right of a free press to speak truth to those in power. Our hard-hitting watchdog reporting on local government, climate, and the ongoing housing and homelessness crisis is trustworthy, independent and freely accessible to everyone thanks to the support of readers like you.
But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
We’re asking you to stand up for independent reporting that will not be silenced. With more individuals like you supporting this public service, we can continue to provide essential coverage for Southern Californians that you can’t find anywhere else. Become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission.
Thank you for your generous support and belief in the value of independent news.
Chip in now to fund your local journalism
(
LAist
)
Trending on LAist
-
Flauta, taquito, tacos dorados? Whatever they’re called, they’re golden, crispy and delicious. -
If California redistricts, the conservative beach town that banned LGBTQ Pride flags on city property would get a gay, progressive Democrat in Congress. -
Most survivors of January's fires face a massive gap in the money they need to rebuild, and funding to help is moving too slowly or nonexistent. -
Kevin Lacy has an obsession with documenting California’s forgotten and decaying places. -
Restaurants share resources in the food hall in West Adams as Los Angeles reckons with increasing restaurant closures. -
It will be the second national day of protest against President Donald Trump.
Best of LAist