Chatting about chai: TEAroma YYC

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

My hunt for authentic chai has been a bit of a pricey one so far. It’s also made me experience moments of extreme jealousy of anyone and everyone living in American or Europe because all I was finding at first were fantastic options in the U.S. and U.K. The prices for the chai itself were justifiable… but then shipping costs were added.   

I have spent more money than I’d like to admit on chai, but it’s all in the name of research for this blog series. That being said, based on my taste tests and the fact that I have continued to make and enjoy all of these chais, the money spent is worth it.  

You’ll get some insight on the non-Canadian chais in the future. For April, I’m saving our wallets and highlighting one of the Canadian-based chais I managed to stumble across: TEAroma YYC.  

This woman-owned Calgary business offers individual chai bags made up of black tea and a perfectly balanced mix of freshly ground spices, including cardamom, fennel seeds and cloves.  

 

I first purchased these as gifts to give out over Christmas, and when I got my order, I knew that not all the boxes I purchased were going to make it into my friends’ hands because I was keeping some for myself.  

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

The smell that was coming out of the bag was incredible.  I couldn’t NOT keep some for myself. One whiff took me back to my undergrad days when I would visit my massi in Brampton on weekends and wake up to that incredible smell of freshly-made chai (that Massi made with her own special spice blend, of course) that was waiting for me on the kitchen table (most often next to a plate full of buttery aloo parathe, because what else is an appropriate weekend breakfast in a Punjabi household?).  

 

I was sold on the scent alone, but then I actually made myself a cup to make sure it was as good as it smelled.  

 

One of my biggest tests when determining if the chai is exceptional or not is whether or not I’m able to pick up on different flavours (not just cinnamon) before adding any sweetener. I personally feel great chai doesn’t need added sugar (although, it always will taste even better if you do put some in), but that’s only because you’re getting a number of flavours from the spices you’ve put into it.  

Each sip is perfectly spiced, and it’s clear the tea bags are filled with high quality, fresh ingredients.  

Illustration by Len Kurosaki

The other test I use is if my household’s Chai Queen (aka, my mom) approves. And, as I’m sure you’ve figured out by the fact that I'm featuring the company on my blog, TEAroma passed that test with flying colours. (In the words of my mom, “[The chai] tastes like how they serve in the restaurant.”)  

The two women behind the business, sisters Gurdeep and Pardeep, started TEAroma during COVID, determined to bring chai lovers across Calgary an authentic, homemade and high-quality chai experience at an accessible price. (To ensure you really get the full experience, they include a step-by-step instruction sheet of how to make their chai with every box.)  

It seems to be working. Their following has grown quite quickly in the last six months, and they’ve even been featured in posts by local social media influencers. They’ve also learned a lot along the way, including where to source high-quality ingredients and how best to market their products.  

 

The duo has big goals for the future, including making their products available to anyone interested, no matter their location. Until then, they are a great go-to for anyone in need of real chai in Calgary (and they offer free delivery on orders $50 or up, which I guarantee you won’t regret spending). 

To learn more about the company and to place an order, visit TEAroma’s Instagram page.