UPBEAT TIMES • January 2014 • 5 Health & Beverages


The World of Tea: Winter Comfort Drinks: Mulled Cider 3.0, and the Best Hot Cocoa


By David Gambill • david@sonomachocolatiers.com


good cider crop. Wassail—sim- ilar to mulled cider, but prob- ably alchoholic—was shared by the village and offered to the apple orchard spirit, believed to reside in the oldest apple tree. Here’s a variation with anoth- er layer of flavor—combine enough of your favorite blend of mulling spices with 2 Tbs of White Peony tea in a tea infus- er.


Heat the cider separately. Just before the cider boils, pour it over


the


SEBASTOPOL, CA. ~ ‘Tis the season to keep warm. The Holiday Season is here: blus- tery days and rain have arrived. Scarves are wrapped around necks,


jackets are buttoned


closed, wood fires are heating stoves and fireplaces, and hot drinks are the order of the day. Care to try something familiar, with a new twist? Let’s start with the clas- sic Mulled Cider.


A Winter


Holiday drink if ever there was one. Cloves, cinnamon, nut- meg/allspice, orange/lemon & apple cider—a sip evokes Holiday decorations and a blaz- ing fire (I grew up in Minnesota, so I also see cross country skis, sweaters, mittens, and lots of snow.)


tion never grows old.


The flavor combina- Can


one improve on such a classic, soothing tottie?


Mulled cider traces its lineage to a pre-Christian ceremony in England intended to ensure a


spices and let it


steep for 3 minutes. Remove the infuser (save it to make a second cup.) The white tea will add a delightful floral note. Or try our White Spice Cider at Infusions Teahouse. White teas are a perfect Winter drink by themselves.


White


teas are picked with the most care—if the leaves are bruised or broken, they can not be used. The silver needle white teas are exclusively the leaf buds, with the silvery hairs still on the bud (thus the name). Silver needle teas must be harvested before dawn, before the sun makes the leaf bud open.


White teas typically have a gentle, somewhat floral tone. They are perfect for holding in cold hands and sipping slow- ly to savor the subtle flavors. My favorite silver needle tea is Snow Buds—a sweet, mildly floral tea with very slight nutty tones. Hold it close and enjoy the heat and floral fragrances of the steam as it wafts around your face.


No discussion of clas-


sic Winter drinks can be com- plete without delving into Hot Cocoa. I offer two recipes here to make the best Classic Hot Cocoa and one of our most popular variations.


The secret to making great hot cocoa is to start with the best cocoa, then mix it with patience. Avoid cocoa mixes. The quality of the cocoa is inferior, they tend to be overly sweet, and the drink will be less satisfying. I recommend Scharffen Berger’s cocoa pow- der. Two good alternatives are Valrhona or Dagoba cocoa. In a tall mug, mix 2-2.5 Tbs of cocoa and 1.5-2 Tbs sugar. Heat your milk or non- dairy alternative to just below a boil. Here’s where the patience comes in. Add 2-3 Tbs of the hot liquid to the cocoa/sugar and stir until all the cocoa is mixed in. Then stir in another ¼ cup of the milk. When that is fully blended, add the rest of the milk as you stir. Top with whipped cream if you like, or simply sit back and enjoy a


taste of the dark side. For the adventurous Hot Cocoa consumer, add ½ tsp ground ginger and ¼ tsp carda- mom to the cocoa blend before you add the liquid. Prepare to be soothed and satisfied. You now have four more drinks to add to your repertoire of Winter Comfort Drinks. (If you care to share your favor- ite winter drink, send it to me at info@sonomachocolatiers. com and we’ll share it on our Facebook page.)


Fun Facts & Trivia #1


California grows more than 50,000 tons of asparagus each year, which is about 70% of all the asparagus grown in the United States.


According to the USDA, 29,200 acres of asparagus were harvested in the United States in 2009.


Enjoy the


images these drinks evoke, and savor the flavors. And have a warm and safe Holiday Season.


The Austrian Crescent potato has yellowish-tan smooth skin and light yellow flesh. Aside from excellent salad qualities, they are delicious simply boiled or steamed.


"Fall ~ Lake Tahoe" by P.A.D. Venice is like eating an entire box of chocolate liqueurs in one go. ~Truman Capote UPBEAT TIMES • January 2014 • 5


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