Chai Spice Mix

I really like Chai tea, but I'm not a fan of the concentrated variety. An easy option is to make your own spice mix. At home I mix the spices and tea just before adding the hot water, but for work I just add tea leaves to the spice mix and it's ready to use.

Chai Spice Mix

2 tsp ground cardamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground black pepper

Mix ingredients and store in an airtight container.

To make tea, add 1 tsp loose leaf black tea and ¼ tsp spice mix to a tea infuser. Steep about 5 minutes. Add milk and sugar to taste.

Phil & Sebastian Coffee Company

Calgary Farmers Market

Phil and Sebastian were an early find in my quest for good coffee in Calgary, recommended by my barista friends back at Gimme! in Ithaca. They are a small operation, initially offering very freshly roasted beans (all bags marked with the roasting date), which you selected from a weekly email description. The beans were then home delivered.

The newest development for Phil and Sebastian is a stand at the Calgary Farmers Market, where they now offer espresso drinks as well as the beans (now chosen after sniffing beans in large jars). The beans are excellent, as were the 2 lattes I’ve had. A visit to the Farmers Market has always been worth the drive; Phil and Sebastian make it even better!

Good Earth

7 Ave SW @ 6th St

Calgary is not exactly known for its coffee, but there are some good options if you look around a bit. Good Earth is a Calgary based chain that specialises in serving nutritious food and excellent coffee. In terms of food, I’ve only tried their scones, which are really good. Not too dense or dry, and good sweet and savory flavours.

The coffee is a bit hit and miss. My first visit was very disappointing, but the 7th Ave store is very handily located between work and my French classes, so I gave them another chance. A good thing, since the barista who usually works around 6pm is pretty good. My skim latte has nicely textured milk with foam rather than bubbles. The espresso is good too; strong but never bitter. Overall a pretty decent place to buy an espresso based drink.

I also tried drip coffee from the University of Calgary location – not so great.

Tea and Collection

1623 Centre St, NW

A detour on my way home brought me to Tea and Collection, a Chinese tea shop in a tiny mall. I'd noticed the building from the road, but it was only when I walked by that I realised there were shops inside - these include an Asian market, a shop selling prepared dim sum, and a candy store.

As I browsed the cannisters in Tea and Collection I was offered a cup of delicious tea. Very good tea, I was told. $90/100g tea! It tasted lovely; I think it was a black tea, but the flavour was subtle and the smell slightly sweet. Beautiful as it was, I went home with Dragon Ball tea, also delicious, and a more affordable $10 for a small pack.

New home, new adventures

Finding your way around a new town is both exciting and terrifying. There are great days, when the prospect of discovery spurs bold explorations and exhilarating finds. There are dismal days, when your journey leads only to disappointment. And there are all the crazy moments in between. These are the stories of my adventures as I eat/drink/cook in Calgary.