I start my day with coffee - and lots of it. I'm not sure whether the raging headache I had early this week was a side effect of a pesky 24-hour stomach virus or caffeine withdrawal, since coffee didn't have its usual appeal. Maybe it was a bit of both.
But, on these cold afternoons and evenings, I switch to other hot drinks. Among my favorites is Spiced Tea. It's a concoction I've been drinking since I was a child.
My Mom used to concoct the mix each winter. When I'd get home from school, I'd go to the Lazy Susan and spin it until the glass jar of mix was revealed. A little hot water and a little mix: Pure perfection on a cold winter day.
Cinnamon and cloves are the fragrances of wintertime. It's the perfect beverage to drink while burrowing under a fleece blanket reading a book and trying to forget there's snow on the ground and a north wind blowing. Enjoy!
Spiced Tea
From the Byers United Methodist Church Cookbook
1 jar Tang (19.7 oz.)1 jar lemon-flavored instant tea (4.4 oz.)
5 1/4 cups sugar (or equivalent amount of sugar substitute)
4 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. ground cloves
Mix all together in large bowl. Store in covered jars. Use 3 heaping teaspoons full per mug of hot water (or more or less to taste).
Note: The ounces in Tang and tea change throughout the years, but it's not like baking a cake. This mix isn't an exact science.
Yes, my mother certainly loved that recipe and would have submitted it to the cook book! I'm not much into "instants" but Mother was, and during the holidays when we were all together for a few days she would fill her 24 cup coffee maker with hot water and have instant coffee, instant spiced tea, and instant cocoa there together for us to fix whatever hot drink we preferred. She would fill the water in the morning and keep it full all day...there must have been both regular and decaf coffee! I have that cook book too...a gift from Mother.
ReplyDeleteUsually, I don't drink plain instant coffee or tea either, but this recipe dresses it up a bit, I think. To me, it smells like coziness on a cold, winter day.
ReplyDeleteThose church lady cookbooks are the best. I have at least a dozen from different churches we have attended or friends' churches. They are all falling apart & definitely well-used. The spiced tea recipes conjure up wonderful warm & cozy memories. I may have to make some this afternoon. For now, I think I'll just have a cup of caramel chair tea & snuggle one of the little boys visiting our house today.
ReplyDeleteOops! That should be caramel chai tea. Thank you autocorrect.
DeleteCaramel chai tea sounds wonderful. Is it a mix you make? If so, please share the recipe. The snuggling sounds good, too! Enjoy!
DeleteThe caramel chai tea is made by Bigelow. I usually get it at Kroger. It is my current favorite.
DeleteI love your mug! Coffee mug that is. :)
ReplyDeleteI like my coffee. Flavored stuff in the keurig. I also like hot apple cider with butter and brown sugar. Mmm yum.
Cheri
I love coffee, too. The spiced tea is usually something I drink in the afternoons, if I want something hot.
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