During 1994 and 1995 I was in India. I drank chai all over the country from Gorakhpur on the Nepali border to Hampi in the rock strewn landscape of highland Karnataka state.

Every region, and dare I say village has its own style and theme in Chai, but many things remain constant. One thing that does is that it takes a fair bit of preparation. This I learnt first hand from Ramesh, a Chai Shop owner in Varanasi on the beautiful Ganges River in Uttar Pradesh in northern India . Ramesh was a consummate chai specialist and rose each morning at 4am to make chai, after doing Puja (ceremony) on the edge of mother Ganges only 100 metres from his tiny chai shop. I had the good fortune to sit with him on several occasions while he meticulously and slowly roasted the Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cloves, Vanilla Bean, Cardamon and his “secret” spices, for his chai.

While this was happening, the large steel saucepan of milk was boiled and then simmered to pasteurize it and then the sugar and spices were added. Ramesh and I talked about lots of things during those mornings as the intoxicating aroma of the brewing Chai filled the air, including me staying and becoming his brother. The Assam tea was always added last so that it did not brew too long and dominate the flavours of the spices. It wasn’t long before early morning chai lovers were lining up and yelling “Ek Chai, Do Chai”- 1 Chai, 2 Chai.

Years later, I met my wife and in her cupboard was a curios bottle with a strangely familiar scent about it. As soon as I opened it up my mind was flooded with images of Ramesh sitting cross legged in his tiny shop near Assi Ghat in Varanasi. But how do I use it I thought. On the label were the instructions, so I quickly heated some milk and added the requisite amount of the syrup. Oh my Goddess, I was in heaven, seated on the soft soil by the Ganges, hearing drums and the chanting ascetics who come to Assi Ghat during the day.

This Chai had the power to transport me there. Of course I had to meet the maker of the closest thing I had ever found to my beloved Varanasi Chai. A few weeks later I did. Michael Bishop, Master Blender and the founder of Alchemy Cordials.