Or, it could be the view. Not many people are lucky enough to have the opportunity I had: to look the Goddess Mother of the World, Mt. Everest, square in the face. Yet that’s exactly what Big Papa and I did when we visited Tibet in 2008.

Temperatures were in the teens, and there was nothing between us and the mountain of all mountains, except an open plain and a fierce wind. Being in Tibet, and seeing Mt. Everest, was unforgettable.

And so was the tea. Back at the Everest Hotel, we headed for the sole dining room and ordered up a big pot of chai. Sensuous aromas of cinnamon, cardamom, clove, ginger and pepper filled the air. I will never forget my first sip: warmth soothed my cold throat and the flavors were simply irresistible. Big Papa and I joyfully drank the entire pot with ease.

In much of the world, including Asia, Eastern Europe, parts of Africa and Brazil, “chai” means tea. Chai tea, frequently called “Masala Chai,” is an aromatic blend of black or green tea infused with warming spices and typically served with sugar and milk.

If you travel to India, Nepal and Tibet, where chai originated, you’ll likely see vendors peddling the tasty brew on street corners or at train stations. According to Ayurvedic tradition, chai boosts the immune system, enhances metabolism, relieves stress, aids digestion and sharpens the mind. Never mind that it’s also out-of-this-world delicious.

You can find hundreds of chai recipes associated with different locales, restaurants and even families. Preparation methods vary, too—some aficionados insist on boiling the tea, spices and milk together, while others take a gentler approach, briefly steeping the tea leaves and spices in hot water, then adding hot milk and sweetener last.

I still drink chai, though I’ve never had a cup that was as good as the chai we drank while traveling in Tibet. The Goddess Mother of the World had a way with tea. She worked her magic on our chai…and on us.

Top of the world [chai] tea for two

• 1½ cups cold water
• One 2-inch piece cinnamon stick, broken
• 2 heaping teaspoons black tea
• Seed of 3 cardamom pods
• One ¼-inch-thick slice fresh ginger
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 black peppercorns
• ¼ to ½ cup milk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar

1. Bring water to a boil in small saucepan. Add cinnamon, cover, remove from heat; steep 2 minutes. Return pan to heat; bring to a boil. Add tea, spices, milk and sugar; cover, and remove from heat. Steep 3 minutes.

2. Pour mixture through fine wire-mesh strainer into warm teapot, discarding solids.

Note: If you prefer, omit the milk and sugar and offer them separately. You can also experiment by adding fennel seeds, coriander seeds, nutmeg, star anise, and lemon or orange peel to create your own unique chai blend.
Want to take your breath away with more deliciousness? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!

In the still of the night
I held you
Held you tight
‘Cause I love
Love you so
Promise I’ll never
Let you go
In the still of the night

Space Needle at night

Freighter heading out of the Duwamish

Giraffe cranes at deep dusk

Seattle skyline at night

Downtown Seattle at night

Looking for more mood lighting? Check out DeliciousBaby Photo Friday.

What were they for? Why were there so many of them? What did it all mean? And then I discovered ‘Patat frites.’

Patat frites are the Dutch version of fries: long thick cuts of deep-fried potato are stuffed into a paper cone or plastic plate and served up with a dollop of the sauce of your choice…and a plastic fork. In Holland, potatoes are serious business and frites are the number one snack food. It would be impossible to visit Amsterdam without catching a whiff of frying potato wafting from a frite stand. When Big Papa and I visited Amsterdam last year, I made sure we stopped at a few frite stands.

There are several choices for toppings:  light lemony “mayonnaise,” garlic sauce and “patat oorlog” which translates to “war chips.” My personal favorite was “pindasaus” or peanut sauce, a riff on the sauce the Dutch discovered when they colonized Indonesia. Versions of this sauce are served on sate (grilled chicken or meat on a stick) and with Indonesian rijstafel (rice table) cuisine, a food-fest with countless little dishes. You could also serve it over noodles or on top of just about any vegetable dish.

I’ve been thinking a lot about my first overseas trip, how it changed me, opened up my world, and the wanderlust it inspired…even if I’ve never been able to wander as far or as often as I might like. And as I walk down Seattle streets this January, with a bitter wind biting my face and smell of salt air from Puget Sound in my nostrils, I dream about patat frites met pindasaus warming my belly, a heel lekker (which means “completely yummy” in Dutch) treat if there ever was one!

Pindasaus (Dutch peanut sauce)

4 T peanut butter
8 T hot water
2 t or 1 T Sambal Oelek or to taste (1/2 t or more crushed red pepper is good substitute)
1 T Ketjap Manis or 1 T soy sauce plus 1 t molasses or brown sugar
1 t to 1 T fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
Juice of half a lemon

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan; gently simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir occasionally.

Note: Sambal Oelek is an Indonesian chile sauce with no added flavors added like garlic or spices. It adds hot without changing the flavor of a dish. A swirl of Sambal Oelek is lovely in a bowl of hummus. Crushed red pepper can be used as a substitute.

Ketjap Manis is Indonesian sweet soy sauce. It is a forerunner of ketchup. It is the only soy sauce developed outside the Asian continent. For a substitute use equal parts soy sauce and brown sugar or molasses. Simmer the two until blended.

Want more lekker treats? Check out Wanderfood Wednesday!