Perfect brews for rainy days

I have enjoyed August in Bengaluru, the chill in the air, the spells of rain, the snatches of sunshine. I don't know what it is about the rains that has us seeking for some "chai-pakoda". But increasingly, I find myself letting go of milky chai with deep-fried food—there are so many teas that are lighter and as warming.

- Aravinda Anantharaman

Some years ago, I tasted some excellent pu'erh tea and enjoyed it. As it happened, it was the monsoon and the pu'erh, I was told, was particularly suited for the weather. In the last few years, I have managed a steady supply of it thanks to a Tibetan friend. Not yet terribly popular in India, I do think it will eventually make its way here and find its people.