Stick your nose into a bag of Chai Love You! and you’ll get a strong aroma of cardamom and clove, just two of the spices included in this instant powdered tea blend.

It’s made by The Mountain Mermaid in Rangeley with all organic ingredients, which also include cinnamon, ginger, English breakfast tea, black pepper, cumin, coriander, vanilla and local honey. As someone who likes to make her own chai at home – so I can control the sugar content – I’m always looking for products that offer shortcuts, for those days when I just don’t feel like digging a pan out of the cupboard or boiling milk.

With Chai Love You! ($7.69 at the Portland Food Co-op for a 4-ounce bag), all you have to do is pour 8 ounces of boiling water over a teaspoon of the powdered tea. (I would add milk as well, and sweeten to taste.)

The bag says that if you end up with a little “spice slurry” at the bottom of your cup, it can be rebrewed.

Mountain Mermaid products are made at Herbal Oasis Farm by Abbi Mountain, an herbalist, yoga instructor, massage therapist and doula. Her line of eight herbal teas includes hibiscus ginger and toasted coconut yerba mate. She also makes tinctures, elixirs and skin care products.

Find her teas at the Portland Food Co-op and at themountainmermaid.org.

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