Winter warmers

Look, we are not there yet but, like a good scout "Be prepared" and , like getting snow tyres on your car or raking the leaves, thinking about personal protection and nights indoors are important activities too.

For tea, this is a no brainer, Camellia sinensis (real teas) are bursting with antioxidants and botanicals such as ginger, liquorice root and citrus peels can soothe as you go. But, hey, tea is not a flu shot or Buckleys (tastes better than that!) and should be "re-imagined" for winter fun not prescribed to fight off the sniffles.

So, herewith a few of my favourites, not new but road tested and ready to be let out of the tea garage again.

Mulled:

Mulled, on the way

Use your favourite tea (s), for me it is Chai and Berry teas together (which is why we brought out a "winter warmer" and never took it off our site, even in Summer!). Use them in different ratios, depending on personal preference, but for me it's about 4-2 Berry to Spice. Add 4 teabags to 500ml of water and bring to the boil in a saucepan and switch off the heat. Leave to brew and cool for 10 minutes and then strain and sweeten to taste, or not. This is now your base for adding a quartered orange/apple, spiked with cloves, A fat finger of fresh ginger, 4 cinnamon sticks (preferably dry roasted for 5 minutes previously)1 Pear and 1 Apple quartered.

Leave this concoction to "marry" for two hours and then return to the heat making up to 1 litre with 500ml cold water and bring back to the boil. Switch off and let cool for 5 minutes then serve.

If you like Mulled wine, after the two hours add 500ml of red wine, something robust (Malbec for me), and gently warm through, do not boil. Strain and serve.

Winter conquered!

Cocktail fun:

Any tea makes great simple syrup, the starting point for a whole bunch of fun for the entire family. The base can be anything but herewith a few classics suggestions

Mojito sans alcohol with green and mint tea, lime juice and salt

Berry Tea: Cosmopolitans, Champagne cups (Try with Fevertree Elderflower tonic!), Negroni

Rooibos: Old Fashioned, Rum cocktails, Cointreau

Green and Mint Tea: Mojitos

English Breakfast/OP: Old Fashioned

Ginger Chai: Rum punch

Citrus Ginger: Gin Marteanis

Is this just a list? No, tried them all and love them.

Making simple tea syrup/concentrates:

Using tea in a simple syrup takes the strain out of the preparation when people arrive, no fiddling about just add the base of choice (Could be Sparkling water or Champagne), add the pre-prepared simple syrup, garnish and go!

The recipe is simple

500ml of water

4 teaspoons of loose tea or 4 teabags

Bring these to a boil in a pan and then switch the heat off and leave for 10 minutes

Remove the leaf/bags and sweeten to taste, if required. (My rule of thumb is 20grms of sugar/batch or equivalent sweetening power based on your choice of additive). There is no need, if for health or preference reasons you choose not to sweeten and, remember, if you are mixing with soft drinks some of these have their own sweetening power (Tonic water, Juices etc)

Leave to cool to room temperature in the pan then transfer to a decanter/bottle of your choice and put in the fridge for when the fun begins.

Perfect for hibernation! Berry tea simple syrup and elderflower tonic

Handwarmers:

These are beverages, usually, delivered in a favourite mug and large enough to warm hands and body.

We all have a favourite hot chocolate, coffee, tea or malt beverage that "does the job" when required but here are a couple of my favourites.

Autumn warmer:

Pumpkin Spice loose tea 6 heaped teaspoons, about 10 cloves, 1 tablespoon honey and 500ml of water. Bring to a boil and then add 500ml milk and bring back to a simmer for 10 minutes.

Pour into your favourite mugs and grate a little nutmeg on the top

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chai:

6 bags of Chai is placed in a saucepan with 500ml of water. Bring to the boil and then add 500ml of cold milk and 2 teaspoons of grated dark chocolate and simmer for 10 minutes.

Disclosure: I personally add 2 teaspoons of sugar in at the beginning but entirely up to you.

You can choose to explore the above or ignore, just don't ignore tea; it's flavourful, calorie free and downright good for you.

There is an open invitation to share your own recipes or variations on the them and I will share these on our site....once I have tried them myself:)

Share here

Stay warm!