Fancy Food Find: ChaiElixir

In the “Fancy Food Find” series, take a closer look at some of the treats on display at the 2015 Winter Fancy Food Show.

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Wonny Kim wanted a refreshing, non-artificial drink that had low sugar and low caffeine, but couldn’t find any contenders in the stores he frequented. As such, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

Kim comes from a military, philosophy, and psychology background with no experience in the beverage world, but knows there’s something special about ChaiElixir. Inspired by tea cultures from around the world, the Oklahoma City-based startup founded in 2012 promises “an exquisite and quality chai experience in a bottle and a compelling, all-natural, alternative to today’s carbonated and caffeinated beverage selection.”

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Three varieties form the lineup: Vivid (sparkling green tea with natural citrus flavors and spices), Essence (sparkling white tea infused with white peach nectar), and Fusion (sparkling oolong tea with a hint of vanilla). The all-natural proprietary spice blends and fruit flavors add a special something to the teas. I’m not a tea drinker, but gave these bottles a whirl and was pleasantly surprised. The fizziness made the drink elegant (and you know how fun it is to drink out of champagne flutes), while the sweet-but-not-too-sweet beverage made this a great alternative to ultra-saccharine sodas. Essence was my favorite with its flavor boost of juicy peach.

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Whether you see it as a tea, a high-end soda, or something else entirely, the important thing is that you enjoy it. ChaiElixir works wonders not only on its own, but also in mixed drinks (scroll down for an Enchanted Elixir recipe). The custom-designed cocktails hopefully spark people’s own imaginations when crafting their own drinks.

 

Enchanted Elixir
Courtesy of ChaiElixir
For a comforting sip, ChaiElixir Fusion offers a lovely and aromatic cocktail. The exquisitely smooth oolong tea of Fusion combines with warm vanilla undertones for a smooth, romantic, and elegant elixir.

1oz. Prosecco
1oz. ChaiElixir Fusion
8 Drops of orange blossom water
½oz. Brugal aged rum
½oz. Fresh lemon juice
¾oz. Cherry Heering

In a flute style champagne glass, add all ingredients. Top off with 1oz of ChaiElixir Fusion and 1oz Prosecco sparkling wine. Garnish with a cherry.

– Nicole Woon
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