Trudy Ann’s Chai & Spices

I was born and raised in Bombay, now Mumbai, India. Tea-time at 4 PM was a much-loved family tradition, which stands the test of time in my home in Canada today, our friends often swinging by to join us.

Way back in 1988, masala chai stole my heart when my Aunty Pramila served me the perfect cup of masala chai or tea, brewed with a blend of spices.

I was a Special Education Inclusion Teacher for 17 years in California, USA, and I regularly served a hot cuppa chai to the delight of my colleagues and friends. When I moved to Vancouver, Canada, I joked about opening a chai café. One day my son’s saxophone teacher offered to pay me if I made my masala chai for him to brew at home. Jokes over and the rest is history.

I love tea, but the generic products in the market did not conform to the organic-only food standards of my home. Trudy Ann’s Chai & Spices was born of my eagerness to make organic teas and spices without additives and essential oils.

The first of my blends, the masala chai collection have carved a niche for themselves in many a kitchen. A dash of ginger makes them warm, soothing beverages in winter and those welcome iced and spiced drinks in summer.

Over the years, through my share of trial and error, I perfected my brand of masala chai and caffeine-free teas. I prepare the blend in small batches, in East Vancouver. The ingredients are all organic. The black tea comes from Assam, East India. The Rooibos, from South Africa. Each batch of tea arrives right after it is harvested. The spices come from small organic farms in different parts of the world. I mainly source from Sri Lanka.

With time, it dawned on me that there was a need for organic dry-roasted cooking spices made from whole ingredients, not powders. The desire to bring the real flavors of India into my kitchen in Canada prompted me to share my cooking spice collection, sourced from old family recipes. Dry-roasted and hand blended, the organic spices are as fresh as the flavors are natural.

Trudy Ann’s Chai & Spices are made with organic ingredients. You’re welcome to judge the book by its cover because even the packaging is compostable and designed by my husband, John.

The fruit of my creativity has been chronicled in my recipe book ‘Trudy Ann’s Masala Kitchen’ and is available on my website.

‘Trudy Ann’s Masala Kitchen’ has recipes to please meat-eaters, pescatarians, and vegetarians alike, with chutneys and desserts to round out a meal. Inside, you’ll find many of these recipes, along with others inspired by Mumbai’s many cuisines and from other parts of India.

You might also like to join me in my traditional Indian cooking classes and cook to your heart’s content.