Winter Warmups with Honey
Warm drinks sweetened with honey are a wintertime comfort any time of day. In the morning, honey provides subtle, sweet energy to stir into your cup. In the evening, honey seems to relax and invite sleep. And anytime you come inside from the cold, or are suffering from a sniffle or cough, that’s the time for the warmth of your favorite tea with honey. Unlike granulated sugar, honey is a minimally processed sweetener with little carbon footprint and produced right nearby—just shop your local farmers’ market or the local section of your grocery store.
Your Own Chai
Makes 2 mugs
2 cups water
3 slices ginger
1 cinnamon stick
3 whole cloves
6 whole peppercorns, cracked
3 green cardamom pods, cracked, or large pinch cardamom seeds
small piece of vanilla bean
1 1/2 cups milk fo choice (cow, almond, coconut, etc.)
2 black tea bags or 2 rounded teaspoons bulk black tea
2 tablespoons honey, to taste
Bring water to a boil with all of your desired spices from the list. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes.
Add milk of choice and bring back to simmer for another 5 minutes, watching to make sure it does not foam over.
Add tea bags or bulk tea, cover and steep with heat off, 3-5 minutes.
Strain into another saucepan and add honey to taste. To cool and aerate, pour into mugs then back into saucepan several times, holding the pan high if you dare to create a little froth.
Hot Flavored Milk and Honey (Brandy Optional)
Hot milk is a lovely bedtime soporific. Serves 2.
2 1/2 cups milk
2 tablespoons honey, to taste
options:
1 teaspoon dreid lavender buds
1 small dried red chile pod
1/2 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
1 cardamom pod
also optional: 2 jiggers brandy
Warm milk in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. If desired, flavor by steeping one of the flavorings for about 10 minutes or to taste, in covered pan on low heat, watching that it barely simmers and does not boil over.
Strain, sweeten with honey, pour into mugs and add brandy.
Hot Cherry Mint
Especially soothing to colds when mixed on the sweet side, refreshing anytime when made less sweet. Serves 1
1 mint tea bag
2-3 tablespoons tart cherry concentrate
1 tablespoon honey, to taste
Steep tea in boiled water to desired strength. Stir in cherry concentrate and honey to taste.
White Wine Toddy
This honeyed wine is lighter than the classic mulled red wine - and quicker to make. Serves 1
2 long strips citrus zest - orange, grapefruit, lime, pomelo, lemon
5 drops cardamom bitters
1 teaspoon honey
4 ounces boiling water
1 ounce pear, apple, or other brandy
4 ounces Reisling or Pinot Blanc (unoaked)
In a preheated mug, smash zests and bitters with a muddler. Add honey and muddle some more. Add boiling water and stir to dissolve honey. Add brandy and wine, stir and serve without straining.
