A saucepan, a bottle of red wine or apple juice, a handful of this blend: within a few minutes of simmering, the kitchen smells of the winter market. This chai was designed for this use as much as for the teapot, which is what makes it so practical in cold weather.

It contains neither tea nor fruit, only spices and roots from organic farming: fennel from Egypt, anise from Egypt and Turkey, liquorice root from China and Uzbekistan, ginger, cinnamon sticks, clove and cardamom. Fennel and anise both belong to the Apiaceae family, that of the umbellifers.

Infused alone, it gives an amber liquor with warm spices. Liquorice, of which the root is used, brings a natural sweetness that almost removes the need to add sugar; clove and cardamom draw the base, cinnamon and ginger the relief. The finish is enveloping, long, spiced without harshness.

Caffeine-free, it has its place after a meal. As an infusion, it goes with a slice of fruitcake or a few mendiants. For a mulled wine, add a strip of orange zest and a little sugar to taste, let it simmer without boiling, then strain before serving; apple juice makes a version everyone at the table can share.

In a teapot, use 15 to 20 g of blend per litre of water, or 3 to 4 g if you are preparing just one cup; water boils at 100 °C and the infusion lasts seven to ten minutes. An airtight container, kept away from light, best preserves the essential oils of the spices.