Add a fun twist to your morning coffee with some smoked lapsang souchon tea for a Smokey Lapsang Tea Latte – it’s dairy free and easy to make
It’s time for the January Recipe ReDux! This month’s theme is Smoked Foods, and I decided to use one of my favorite teas to make a Smokey Lapsang Tea Latte:
January 2014 – Theme: Start Smoking in the New Year
The New Year is heating up with smoke and spiciness. From boldly flavored smoked salts to actual smoking techniques, subtly smoked food is on-trend. The same can be said for spice as we savor heat from harissa, sriracha and smoked paprika. Show us the healthy dish you’re heating up with smoke and/or spiciness.
I love smoked foods, condiments, spices…whatever! They are so robust in flavor and character, it’s hard not to like a naturally smoked food. If you have only ever had smoke-flavored foods from a package and not the actual thing, then you are missing out on one of life’s great treats. Smoke-flavoring just isn’t the same!
One of my favorite memories was when we lived in Washington state for a little while: we would go the Lummi Indian reservation near our town and buy cold-smoked salmon. It was the best smoked salmon in the world (not an exaggeration)! I was ruined after that: anything less than the Lummi smoked salmon just wasn’t quite as good.
Living in Wyoming, we have a lot of friends and family who smoke their own food, so many gatherings and events have smoked meats at the centerpiece. For Thanksgiving last year, we smoked a Turducken. In the fall we smoke batches of venison jerky after our hunting trips. We do more smoking in the summer along with grilling almost every day when it’s warm out. Grilling and smoking are my favorite ways to cook!
For this recipe, I went back to one of my old favorites: smoked tea. Smoked black tea is called lapsang souchong, and it’s used in some Russian Caravan tea blends. I wrote a little bit about it in one of my old tea posts a couple years ago.
Lapsang souchong is one of those things that people either love or hate (some people are pretty adamant about hating it!), but I happen to be one of those people that really love smoked tea. Make sure you get good quality lapsang souchong for the best flavor!
My lapsang souchong – I can’t remember which brand this is…
Lapsang souchong is a black tea (Republic of Tea uses fukien lapsang souchong) from the Wuyi Moutains in the Chinese province of Fujian where black teas first originated. The tea leaves are withered then dried over pinewood fires, so it takes on the wonderful smoke flavors of the wood.
Some sources claim that lapsang souchang was the first black tea in history and that it was a favorite of Winston Churchill. I’m a tea nerd, I love tea history! 😉
My favorite instant coffee
I decided to combine my 2 favorite things: coffee and smoked tea. I wasn’t really sure what to call this latte: a dirty tea latte? Tea latte? London fog latte? I finally settled on Smokey Lapsang Tea Latte, it’s yummy!
Smokey Lapsang Tea Latte
Ingredients
- 1 to 2 teaspoons lapsong souchong smoked tea
- ½ cup hot water
- 1 to 2 teaspoons high quality instant coffee*
- ½ cup favorite non-dairy milk heated
Instructions
- Heat water to boiling in a kettle. Put loose lapsong souchong in a mesh tea basket and steep for about 3-4 minutes depending on how strong you like it. Don’t over-steep the tea or swish it around as this will make it bitter.
- Whisk in 1-2 teaspoons high-quality instant coffee, depending on how strong you want your coffee.
- Stir in 1/2 cup hot non-dairy milk of choice (I like unsweetened almondmilk).
- Add a couple drops of vanilla cream Stevia to taste
- Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Sarah Jane Parker is the founder, recipe creator, and photographer behind The Fit Cookie. She’s a food allergy mom and allergy friendly food blogger of 12 years based in Wyoming. Sarah is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer, ACE Certified Health Coach, Revolution Running certified running coach, and an ACE Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist
I’ve tried roasted teas before but not smoked ones! I need to be on the lookout for this.
It’s definitely something unique to try! I first tried this when I was a teenager and fell in love. The Republic of Tea has a really awesome Milk Oolong that is another one of my favorite teas as well
So intrigued! I need to try this tea!
It’s amazing!
I really am loving hot tea lately! I want one of those tea holders 🙂
They are making some really cute tea strainers these days – some of them are heat-resistant silicone and in fun shapes like fruits or animals. Sooo cute!
This sounds interesting! :O I love tea, but apparently have never heard of smoked tea! If I ever manage to locate some (aka Amazon, please don’t fail me), I’m definitely going to give it a try! <3
There are lots of tea companies that carry smoked tea, so you shouldn’t have a problem finding it! It’s wonderful and robust 🙂
I thought about doing a lapsang souchong latte as well! It’s one of my boyfriend’s favourite teas and I bet he would love this.
Great mind think alike! 😉
I am a huge tea drinker and I’ve always wanted to try Lapsang, the added smokey sounds really good! Must try!
It’s one of those things that {I think} every person should try once in their life! It’s a very unique taste, I need to find ways to cook with it