Warm Toasty Drinks

 Spring may be just around the corner but it's still frosty out there. It's time to warm up with late winter with a warm and toasty drink. They can be boozy or just fill with sweet , hot goodness. Either way they will warm you to your toes.

Saint Patrick's Day is Thursday and many will sip an Irish coffee. This was a big after dinner drink in the Seventies and Eighties yet it's much older than that, beginning with Joe Sheridan, a chef at Foyne's Point in Limerick.He created this iconic after dinner cocktail in the 1940's and it came to San Francisco in 1952 thanks to travel writer Stanton Delaplane..Irish coffee a definite toe warmer that has all sorts of flavors in it. Start off with a warmed mug and then fill with just four ounces of strong black coffee and two teaspoons of brown - not white - sugar. One once of  whiskey is then added  followed by a spooning of one ounce of lightly whipped heavy cream.What's the best coffee to use? Any one you want. whatever you think is the best and the most flavorful works. Then there's the whiskey.Many a mixologist would recommend the pricey Jamieson but you can use what works for you. Sip it slowly to fully appreciate the blend of flavors. Another favorite chill chaser is hot buttered rum.This is basically rum mixed with spiced butter. This spiced butter is flavored with cinnamon .cloves and nutmeg along with a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla Hot water is poured over the rum and butter and a cinnamon stick is added for more taste.

What about those who want a non boozy warmer? Hot chocolate is your best bet. Ditch the packets and make your own. One of the most decadent is French hot chocolate. You should used chopped dark chocolate because this will give the drink a velvety texture. Two cups of whole milk is cooked in a saucepan as the chocolate is added. You can add a tablespoon of brown sugar and a teeny pinch of salt. Many add a good dollop of freshly whipped cream to make it more decadent. if you want a spike of spice then consider the Mexican version.This is made with cocoa powder and chopped bittersweet dark chocolate. Cinnamon is added and for kick a little pinch of chili pepper. You can really zing it up with a teensy bit of cayenne pepper. It's just cooking these and whole milk in a saucepan over a low flame. If tea is more your thing then go for a spicy chai. Use a good Assam or Darjeeling black tea for a more authentic flavor. Cinnamon sticks and cloves give it that tongue nipping taste. Also add green cardamon pods. You can find these at any Asian grocery store. Ginger is a must and it's sliced into coins to be added to this mix. These are boiled with the tea bags and water. Milk is added later along with any kind of sugar. The whole brew is boiled and then poured into cups or mugs for a tasty sip.

It's still winter. RIde it out with a hot toe warming drink. It can be boozy or a teetotaller's delight. All that matter is that it warms you against a late season chill.

From Cookies To Needles And Pins

 One of the joys of any holiday season was receiving a tin of Royal Dansk cookies. These were the perfect butter cookies baked in different shapes and decorated with big crystals of sugar. Yet the real treat came later when all the cookies were eaten and there was a big empty tin. Crayons were put in them or in most households - sewing items. What else could you do with them.

That was the question regular contributor Priya Krishna asked in her article about them in today's New York Times Food section. They hold a wealth of memories for everyone. If you lived in a sewing household these tins were perfect for storing colorful spools of thread. pin cushions, stuck full of pins, needles  of all sizes and coiled tape measures.That's what f ilm critic carlo Aguilar 's mother did. He even thought it was just a LAtin thing when everyone reused the tins for sewing The round, dark blue tins , full of sewing tools broke Twitter in August. It was placed next to one full of luscious looking cookies neatly separated by their traditional frilly white wrappers. Written underneath the untouched Royal Dansk tin was MY Fall Plans  while the sewing tin one proclaimed The Delta Variant. The Royal Dansk tin also gave way for nostalgia  for another multi used container, the COuntry Crock tub. This was made of sturdy plastic and could handle several dishwasher washings and storing everything from holiday leftovers to Play-Doh. Used Cool Whip tubs were also used for all sorts of leftovers and doodads like nails and screws.

These tins and tubs are growing in fascination and nostalgia.Yet , like Country Crock they're still used. Their Instagram page shows what you can do with the tubs. They make for cute bird houses and popcorn holders for home movie nights'They're also great for storing leftovers, especially small amounts< Some chefs like eric Rivera , owner of the Seattle restaurant Addo remembers his mother storing her sofrito, a mix of red bell peppers, tomatoes and garlic. Nescafe's glass jars also held a place of esteem in some households. Megha Desai's family used them for storing chai masala. Her mother got Vlasic pickled jars from their local Italian restaurant to store lentils. Those Royal Dansk tins were not only used for storing pins and needles but for wood ear mushrooms  to keep them fresh in Huffington Post reporter Marina Fang's family kitchen., Chef Rivera uses them at Addo as part of dessert in a tasting menu. They come to the table  bearing a surprise - a sugar cookie flavored vanilla ice cream. He's bought several on E Bay just for this. Keep in mind that these tins and the Country Crock tubs do not make for good recyclables. They and their fellow often recycled Cool Whip tubs do not break down easily and will stay for hundreds of years. They're best used for second and third lives instead of land fills.

These tins and tubs have long lives. Once the cookies,spread, whipped cream, and instant coffee are used, these takes on new second and third lives. Use them as you will, whether for sewing gear, bird houses or leftovers.

The Perfect Chai Wissotzki Tea

The temperatures may be in the eighties but it's still good weather for a hot cup if tea. One of the most flavorful is chai and Wissotzki Tea has a wide variety to try. The variety of flavors are the perfect sip on a summer's night,

Wissotzki Tea is one of the oldest tea companies in the world starting in 1849 by Russian Jew, Zeev Kalonymus Wissotzki and was one of the first international companies , having branches in Germany, France, New York and Canada. The founder was also responsible for the Hovevei Zion , a response to the dreadful pogroms happening in Russia at the time. The company is still family owned and has a wide variety of delicious teas.They sell everything from black tea to chais and infusions. Their chais are the best, although they're usually served with a milk of some sort, mine are not. I don't like milk in any tea and would prefer it without.

                                   There are four flavors, Spiced Nana Mint Chai,Pumpkin Spiced Chai, Salted
                          Caramel Chai and Ginger and Turmeric .

I am a big fan of anything mint and love their Nana mint that's also loaded with cinnamon bark, ginger leaf and clove. Cardamon and black pepper mellow out the spearmint .

The Salted Caramel is a lovely treat, with the added kick of sea salt. It's a nice tea for the evening, especially when sitting outside on a cool night. The ginger and turmeric blend is not only healthy but a great way to start the morning. I love the strong taste of the turmeric, as it blends with the other spices. A nice after dinner chai is the pumpkin pie spice made with  - what else - actual pumpkin pieces. It sounds like the perfect beverage on a chilly fall night but it also works on a humid summer one, especially with a simple dessert.

Wissotzki Teas may be one of the oldest tea companies in the world but their chai line is one of the hippest and most modern. It combines ancient spices with flavor trends to produce a cup of flavor. They're the perfect teas for a warm summer's evening.

CBD Teas The Latest Trend

CBD or cannabidiol is everywhere these days. It can be found in lotions, shampoos, edibles and now potables. CBD Living has added three flavorful loose leaf teas to its' long list of CBD products. Are they any special than regular loose leaf brands? Not really? Are they flavorful? Absolutely.

CBD Living manufactures a wide variety of CBD products. There the edibles which include milk and dark chocolate bars, tinctures, soaps, lotions and even suppositories. Their teas are loose leaf and , popular right now. They come in an array of flavors, from matcha to blackberry. I love tea so I had to try three flavors that appealed to me.

Their chai tumeric tea is the best chai I've had in a long while. The mix contains 150 mg of CBD (a cup has only seven All CBD Living's teas have this amount added) but also has turmeric along with organic ginger and cinnamon chips plus orange peel for a nice citrus aftertaste.

Another favorite is the coconut which is loaded with coconut shred and extract.It is blended with green Rooibis Tea and full spectrum hemp extract - which is the pure oil extracted from the hemp plant. It has a lovely tropical taste and the tea would be good iced on a hot summer's day

Another fruity flavor that not only soothing but delicious is the mango herbal tea. This drink has mango extract as its' top note flavor and organic dried peach as the bottom note which give the tea a bright, fruity flavor. As with the coconut there is also full spectrum hemp extract. Again this would be a great iced tea during the warmer months.Next on my list are their other teas - matcha , Berry Black and Passion Green.

CBD Living Loose Leaf Teas are the perfect antidote to today's super busy world. Brew them, and enjoy the rich flavor and the calming effect they have. It's like a vacation in a cup.

Thermos STAT

The temps are Arctic frigid. You're wearing what seems to be five layers of clothing and you're still shivering. It's time to bring the heat - whether temperature wise or taste. It'll keep winter's icy chill at bay - hopefully.

One thing is certain during this frigid days  a hot meal is everything.We need fortification for those frosty drives to school and work. Ditch the boxed cereal. Think piping hot oatmeal or farina with a hot tea or hot coffee to wash it down. This is the time for a calories be damned breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast.If you still feel guilty, then go with poached eggs, they're not fried just boiled accompanying soy bacon. Sub in whole wheat or even pita for regular white bread. As long's as it's toasty and can keep you full and warm. Another hearty idea is a breakfast strata. This casserole type dish combines what we love about the first meal and the density of a dinner.If you've never made one before then go for the simplest recipe. The night before layer thick slices of white or whole wheat bread in a greased square baking dish. Beat four eggs and half a cup of milk along with oregano or thyme, Refrigerate overnight. The next morning preheat oven to 350, pop the strata into it Bake for half an hour and then sprinkled on shredded cheddar and bake for five more minutes. Cheese should be melted and the strata nice and puffy, Serve with strong hot tea or coffee for a body warming breakfast.

Always have a hot drink in the car during this weather.As much as you need bottles of cold water in the summer, you need either tea , coffee or cocoa. You can have a thermos or stop in at your favorite coffee shop.You'll also feel more alert too. Definitely go for a hot lunch. If you're worried about diet, then stick with a hot , light soup and plain tea. You can also add fire  Try a dish with heat. One favorite is pasta arrabiata or angry pasta. This is the perfect dinner dish too,Most of the recipes for it call for a quarter of a teaspoon of hot pepper flakes, but if you want real fire, then add half a teaspoon. Chili is another perfect lunch  or dinner. You can even make extra to create an  office meal for yourself. A pinch of hot pepper can do the job unless you want to go into alarm territory. Then it's time to get out the jalapenos.As for drinks, a hot after dinner  tea is always good, but you can make chai and spice it up with cinnamon . Mexican hot cocoa is not only hot but can be fiery with the addition of pinch of red pepper powder. You can also add this to any chocolate cake, cookie and cupcake recipe along with chocolate frosting to give it some sweet heat.

This is the time to bundle up and fortify yourself against these freezing days. Dress warm. Eat hot. It's the best defense against frost and frostbite.

Cinnamon That Extra INgredient

One of the simplest ingredients can be used in both savory and sweet dishes? Want can be this versatile ?The spice that has been around for ages cinnamon.It can be used in both meat,vegetable or sweet dishes. It is a spice rack must have and for many good reasons. Cinnamon is pen of our oldest spices.It has been used for more than two millennia.It's names from the Greek kinnaamonen but the ancient Hebrews also had similar word.It can also be called cassia.It was introduced by Arab traders to Venice during the Middle Ages.It was also sold in ancient Rome where traders bought it fromIndonesians who even made rafts from the bark.It's the interior or the second bark that we use.Both the exterior and the interior barks are wetted and then dried.There are four different types,Alba,Continental,Mexican and Hamburg.The bark can be used to help prevent colon cancer and even herpes. Cinnamon can be used for almost everything from savory to sweet.The Turks and Iranians use it with rose water as well as with meats to desserts.It's one of the top ingredients in the Greek lasagna style dish moussaka as well as in squash and pumpkin recipes.Mostly the spice is used in dessert .It adds dash to apple sauce and also gives bites to chewy rolls.Cinnamon doughnuts are always a treat ,especially when they 're heavily dusted with cinnamon I also used in coffees and chai teas to give usually bland drinks bite and zest. Cinnamon is a wonderful spice and a must have in any spice rack. It can be used in both savory and sweet dishes ,creating interesting meals and snacks.Always have a jar on hand.

A Proper Jubilee Tea

 England and its' commonwealths are having a massive tea party thanks to Queen Elizabeth II celebrating her Diamond Jubilee.Anglophiles here can also celebrate with their own afternoon socials. Teas can have both savory and sweet dishes , all washed down with a variety of teas from around the world.

The most important part of any tea party is the tea. Any strong flavorful one is good. Earl Gray is a nice one.It's strong yet it doesn't have an aftertaste and won't cancel out the flavor of the food. Lady Gray is also a wonderful choice.it has an mild orange taste that goes well with both sandwiches and tea cakes. Since England had her Empire all over the world you can also add Chinese tea or the spicy Indian chai.Chai is basically just black tea steeped with cinnamon cardamon clove and ginger. Tea can also be iced if it's ah hot day  or made into a punch by adding seltzer and fruit. Toss in some sliced oranges, lemons or strawberries for a nice flavor. For a different punch add sliced limes or any other berry such as black or blue.

Teas usually have sandwiches and small cakes. The Windsors have a tendency to like chicken and their teas probably feature poultry. A light yet yummy sandwich is either whole wheat or white toast spread  with a chicken salad.It can be made with either deviled or freshly grilled sliced into pieces.A sprinkle of tarragon gives it a delicate herbal taste A variation can be made with deviled ham with celery seeds. Of course the most loved tea sandwich is watercress. Lightly butter small slices of bread and put three or four watercress leaves on them. Sweets are a nice ending to a tea. Try petit fours or the ever popular macaron. Nix the cupcakes because they're too American. Try smaller cakes that can be cut into wafer thin slices.

England is celebrating sixty years of a remarkable reign by a remarkable woman. Celebrate with them with a proper tea. Bring forth the tea pot along with cakes and sandwiches and cheer Elizabeth!