Paawan's blog

So much has happened since my last blog post. The biggest & most exciting news has been getting the permit for the cart. Finally The Chai Cart® (the company) has a fully permitted chai cart. We operate the cart seven days a week, and only take a break when it’s raining. The two chaiwallas I’ve hired, Will and Dennis, manage the cart so I get to do other stuff , like write this blog.

A couple weeks back, I got a call from a marketing manager of En Point Technologies- a tech company based in Southern California. They had heard about The Chai Cart and asked if they could sponsor my cart at an event.

Remember the days when I used to sell chai in the Mission out of a bicycle cart? So, it turned out, it wasn’t quite legal to do that.
 

It is estimated that 40% of the waste we produce comes from packaging. Creating minimal waste is one of the values I believe in and wanted to instill it in my business.

I've heard many people say that one of the main reason they don’t drink chai is b’coz it is way too sweet. This is true if the only chai you’ve had is at cafes. Most cafes use a chai concentrate as a base to make their chai or chai latte - which is always loaded with sugar. I looked for unsweetened chai mixes, but didn’t come across any. I started to wonder why that was the case. There could be several reasons; here are the most likely ones:

The best cup of chai is one that you make - as you will make it just the way you like it.

We offer classes that provide a deeper understanding of chai - its history and cultural roots, methods of preparation, and how to choose its main components – tea, spices, milk.     

I always raise my eyebrows when I hear or see “Chai Latte”. As I described in my previous post, “chai” is hard wired in my brain to mean a certain drink – hot black tea boiled with milk (spices optional). So what is this “Chai Latte” stuff anyway – it combines two words from 2 different languages and the drink doesn’t event taste like chai.

Having grown up in India, "chai" is hard-wired in my brain to mean steeped black tea and milk. Sugar and spices are optional, though commonly added. However, here in the US, “chai” has morphed into something else.

I am really excited about this year…this is going to be a special year for all of us. How can it not be? It started with 1-1-11!

I feel especially optimistic this year. Not b’coz I am a lot wiser but also b’coz I have found the support of people who push me forward every time I'm stuck.

Like so many, every year I make resolutions on New Year's Eve. And every year, I think this year would be the year I actually stick to my resolutions after the first few weeks. We all know how the story goes...we've all been there. This year, I am setting goals instead of making abstract resolutions.