Aphro-Tea-siac or Aphro-Chai-siac? More Lovers' Tea

A Spicy, Aromatic Blend to Warm the Senses and the Soul

Inspired by a little Valentine's Day tea-making I wrote about the other day, a beautiful blend from the now-closed Worts & Cunning Apothecary, and—let’s be honest—my deep love for chai, I just whipped up a batch of something special. The only real question is: is it Aphro-Tea-siac or Aphro-Chai-siac? Either way, it’s spicy, aromatic, and absolutely worth making.

This blend is highly customizable—mine leans heavy on the spice, but you can adjust it to suit your taste.

Ingredients:

• Fennel Seed or Anise Seed
• Cardamom pods (some crush, some whole for aesthetics)
• Whole cloves
• Raw cacao nibs
• Damiana
• Licorice Root (Cut and sifted)
• Ginger (I used powdered because it’s what I had, but cut and sifted would be even better)
• Black peppercorns
• Kava Root (use powdered—it's not very water-soluble otherwise)
• Bay leaves (crushed)
• First Pass Organic Darjeeling (Whole leaf)

No strict measurements here—just experiment until it tastes right to you. I made mine extra spicy, but you might prefer a different balance.

A quick note on ingredients: If you’re concerned about the estrogenic properties of licorice, ginger helps counterbalance that by supporting estrogen metabolism. Damiana, despite popular belief, isn’t estrogenic at all—it earns its aphrodisiac reputation by promoting circulation (yes, all circulation).

If you’re running a little Yang excess and Yin deficient, this might not be the tea for you. Otherwise, brew a cup, sip slowly, and enjoy.

For a more in-depth guide, including a deeper look at aphrodisiac herbs through the lens of Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine—as well as detailed instructions—check out our Aphrodisiac Masala Chai Recipe and Guide.