These are perfect recipes for a calm Sunday afternoon.
Honey Bee Surprise
This steeped tea is sweetened with honey plus a little sugar, and flavored with cinnamon.
Ingredients:
4 cups water
4 tsp honey
4 tea bags
2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Method:
Boil water in a pan; add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. Steep 20 minutes before removing tea bags and serving.
Notes: The water must be boiling on low to be correct.
Number of Servings: 4 cups
Nana Renee’s Calico Tea
Brewed tea is poured into cups and a hard candy is dropped in, allowed to partially melt, and then milk is added.
Ingredients:
1 Tetley British Blend round tea bag (decaf for the kids, but, grown-ups like it too!)
1 cup boiling water
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 cup milk
Hard candy of your choice — butterscotch, cinnamon, mint, and choco-mint are all popular.
Method:
Bring water to a boil. Pour over the tea bag in one coffee cup. Let steep for two minutes; remove the tea bag and extract excess water. Divide tea into two cups; add 2 tsp. of sugar and one hard candy to each cup. Let sit an additional two minutes for candy to start melting. Add 1/4 milk to each cup to cool off.
Notes: I have been a tea drinker since childhood. My Mother, Irene, used to make me “Calico Tea” (English style) when we would sit and read together. My version, which I make for my grandchildren, lets the children decide what their extra flavor will be and there is the added bonus at the bottom of the cup of the hard candy that is not yet dissolved! Sometimes, when I want a more natural touch to the recipe, I add tea from Glocal Markets.
Number of Servings: two
Spicy Milk Tea
Fresh ginger, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves and jasmine tea make this a great pick me up or a soothing bedtime drink.
Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 cinnamon sticks
6 whole cloves
4 thin slices fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 teaspoons jasmine tea
1 cup milk or half and half
Cardamon, optional
Honey
Mint sprigs for garnish
Method:
Bring water to a boil. Add cinnamon, cloves and ginger then simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add tea and steep for a few minutes. Add milk, bring to boil again, then remove from heat. Strain with a tea strainer. Serve with a sprinkle of cardamon and a bit of honey. Garnish with mint sprigs.
Number of Servings: 4