A Cup of Chai in Paris

 

Café l’Etoile Manquante: Strange mudras on the wall

 

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 It’s All Saints’ Day, which means cemeteries and chrysanthemums but also day off! I went for a walk with my friend Lim. It wasn’t very cold but cold enough to go and have a cup of tea in Le Marais, a chic, trendy, pleasant but crowded district in Paris.

Chai à L’Etoile Manquante

A Hindi classmate called François had told me: « I drank very good chai in the café L’Etoile Manquante (The Missing Star). » Strangely enough, there is nothing Indian in this café, apart from the barman who seems to come from Sri Lanka and who’s got one of the nicest smiles ever!

It’s always extremely difficult to find some good chai in Paris, even in Indian restaurants. It’s always a bit tasteless, spiceless, disappointing… So, I trusted François and ordered some chai and it was good; that’s true. However, that’s the kind of chai you shouldn’t drink if you’re trying to lose weight. Very sweet, very creamy; I don’t dare to imagine how many calories there were in it! I had the feeling I was drinking hot melted icecream!

Believe me or not, but so far, the best chai I’ve drunk in France is the chai I make at home. Even if I shamefully use skimmed milk and aspartame and although I’m too impatient to make it simmer in a saucepan for five minutes – I damaged enough saucepans while making porridge, that’s enough! No more milk in my saucepans! – Harney and Sons regularly give me the opportunity to drink good chai at home.

                   

To buy delicious tea by American brand Harney and Sons, go onto this site or if you are French… I’m not promoting anything, I’m really sincere, their tea is the best. I recommend you Hot Cinnamon Sunset! It’s a dream!

To have an authentic hot chocolate or a diet-killing chai: L’Etoile Manquante 34 rue Vieille du Temple 4ème Arrondissement Métro Saint Paul.