Guest Author - Cheryl Lewis

When I first tried the General Foods International Chai Latte I was not overly impressed. In fact, I just plain did not like the taste of it. I do think it smells wonderful. It sat in my cupboard untouched for several weeks. I thought maybe if someone came over for coffee or tea, they might like it.

A few nights ago I really wanted a nice cup of something hot and soothing. It had been a long day and I wanted to relax. My poor cupboard was about bare and I didn't have a lot of choices. I decided to give the Chai Latte one more try.

The classic recipe directions say to measure 2 Tablespoons of the instant Chai Latte mix into a cup and then pour six to eight ounces of boiling water and stir. Since this hasn't worked for me and I'm well known around my family and friends for being a bit daring with my recipes I decided I would add a bit of fat free 1/2 & 1/2. 1/2 & 1/2 is half cream and half milk.

I ended up with a delightful treat! The taste is smooth and creamy with a nice hint of cinnamon. It smells wonderful even with the 1/2 & 1/2 in it. I really enjoy the way the the drink feels on my tongue. It's not a heavy drink but it's also not watery, just very smooth.

The spices aren't overwhelming either. They tend to be very subtle and it's very easy for cinnamon to be "too much" in a drink because it's a strong spice but the combination in the GFI Chai Latte is perfect, as long as you add a bit of milk, cream or 1/2 & 1/2 in my opinion.

It's definitely a great drink for relaxing. It has a soothing effect and I find that perfect for evenings or late nights when I'm having trouble sleeping. It's also a great choice for curling up with a good book too.

Fair warning: it might difficult to have just one cup.

This Chai Latte can also be made with milk or served over ice. One serving size is two tablespoons and each serving has 4 g of fat, 95 mg of sodium, 15 g of sugars and 20 g of total carbs. Each can has 11 servings and you can find the Chai Latte with the other General Foods International coffees, usually in the coffee and tea aisle of most grocery stores.