Let Us Toast with Tea

Delightfully, and appropriately, January is Hot Tea Month.  The weather is chilly, and it's time to get cozy, and nothing soothes a chilled spirit and body than a cup of hot tea.

 I love tea all year round, but it's especially inviting in the winter. An absolute favorite of mine is chai, a spicy blend with cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, clove and all spice, traditionally made with warm milk. Add a dash of chocolate and it is heaven after an afternoon of shoveling snow. Throw in a little Pumpkin Syrup and you won't be able to talk to me until I've finished the whole cup. I'll be in my happy place.

Tea has been enjoyed for thousands of years. It is the most widely drunk beverage in the world (coffee is moving up as a close contender, but tea still wins at the moment).

Not only is tea a spirit lifter, it is a beverage packed with healthful benefits. All of the varieties are!

The most typical and popular teas are green, black, white, oolong,  and pu-erh. These are filled with ECGC, a powerful antioxidant. They do have caffeine, but in different strengths compared to coffee. Herbal teas can add a wide variety of healthful benefits. Chamomile can be calming and help with sleep. Mint and ginger is refreshing and aids digestion. Hibiscus is very refreshing and can help reduce blood pressure.

And tea offers a myriad of magical options. Add fruits like pineapple or raisins, add a kick of heat with peppercorns, dabble in reds or blacks or blends, include a splash of honey or sugar or milk... the list goes on and on.

Mountain Rose Herbs and Ducky Life are two of my favorite companies to purchase loose leaf tea. I even have a soft spot for Teavana. My absolute favorite way to make tea is with herbs from my garden - chamomile, lemon balm, mint, lavender, roses, Jersey Tea, Oswego tea or Mondara (bee balm), holy basil, and my favorite lemon verbena. I just pick them in season and dry them to enjoy year round.

Celebrate Hot Tea Month this January... and keep the fun going through out the year.

Oswego tea or monardo,

 

Oswego tea or monardo,

Oswego tea or monardo,

Pumpkin Syrup to Round out the Season

I have finally finished roasting the last of my pumpkins. Luckily, they keep a good long while if kept cool and dry. And I got to the last one before we finally got freezing weather here in lovely central New Jersey.

My favorite type of pumpkin to prep for later jamming and pieing and such are cheese pumpkins. These are delightfully rich with a touch of natural sweetness. They almost smell like cantaloupe when you cut into them. My 4 rather large pumpkins from Giamarese Farm yielded about 40 ounces of roasted mashed pumpkin. That's quite a bit for future use! And it also gave me about 9 cups of sweet, earthy pumpkin juice.

What to do? Time to make some Pumpkin Syrup! It's a slow process - but soooo worth it. As Alton Brown says - Your patience will be rewarded.

First, I took the pumpkin juice and simmered in down a bit to enhance the flavor. I kept it on a very low simmer, so it wouldn't over cook. When it simmered down to about 8 cups, I added 2 sticks of cinnamon, a little ground nutmeg, and some allspice berries and let it continue to gently simmer for about an hour.


I took out the spices, then added 1 cup of chai infused honey, 1 cup of white sugar, 1 cup of turbinado sugar, and one cup of the mashed, roasted pumpkin. This then simmered for about another hour.

The trick to make this smooth is to blend it all together. I took my stick blender and gave it a good whir. I then brought the whole thing up to a boil, stirring frequently. Watch it carefully or it will bubble over. Once it comes to a good boil, turn it off and remove from the heat. Let it cool
completely.

One of the blessings and curses of being an herbal student is that I tend to have bottles and jars a plenty. I put the the syrup in 3 cute little bottles.

I've kept this in my fridge for up to 6 months and it's been fine. It's divine in chai tea, heavenly over waffles, and oh so marvelous over ice cream.

You can always play with this recipe a bit. I've made it before adding some maple syrup or some brown sugar.  For me, an extra dash of cinnamon never hurts either.

This is the perfect way to keep the Season of Everything Pumpkin going, so you'll want to make  sure to have some on hand.

Winter Colds & Chills Stolen Away by the Robbers Clan

Winter is finally upon us here in New Jersey. After celebrating Yule and Christmas in short sleeves and sandals with temps in the mid 60's, the iciness of the season has hit home. With all of the temperature shifts and craziness of shopping, parties, dinners, and families, it's not surprising that many people find themselves fighting off colds.

There are certainly many things that can be done to help keep the nasty little buggies at bay. Washing your hands, obviously. Try desperately not to touch your face. Making sure to eat healthy and drink lots of fluids is extremely important. It's also imperative to make sure to clean the air and frequently touched surfaces. Viruses and bacteria can linger and wait until transferred to a new recipient - like you!

One of my favorites for winter is our Oil of the Robber Clan.  Not only is it wonderfully aromatic, the essential oil blend is created specifically to fight off the invisible fiends. There are many ways this concentrated blend can be used:

• Place a few drops in a diffuser to purify and cleanse the air.
  
• Fill a small spray bottle with white vinegar. Add 10 or so drops of Robbers oil. Shake well and use to clean and disinfect counters, sinks, doorknobs, etc.
  
• Put a quarter teaspoon in the dishwasher to help sanitize dishes.

The spiciness of clove essential oil encourages the immune system.  Red Thyme essential oil is a powerhouse anti-septic and disinfectant. Lavender is renown for it's  anti-bacterial properties. Lemon is - well lemon! Add in Rosemary, Lemongrass and several other essential oils and you've got a true legend - and an amazing way to scare away winter colds.