Letter #35 - A warm drink makes everything better

To anyone looking for a drink,

I've been trying to curb my chocolate cravings for this new health kick I'm on but at this time of year, it's proving even more difficult. I can already take solace in the fact that I love dark chocolate so that's at least a teensy bit better for me.

After scouring Pinterest for ideas and testing flavours , I've put together 3 warming winter drink suggestions to keep you cosy when the air starts to get icy outside.

Now of course my go to winter drink is a large mug of hot chocolate and the thicker the better. But since I'm trying to be a bit more mindful of what I eat, I found two equally warming drinks that don't contain quite as many "bad" ingredients.

Chai tea

The first is chai tea. I refrain from adding latte on the end of that, because it's not a latte until you add the milk, and that's a choice of preference. I'd only ever tried this one before a few years ago (or so I thought) when it gained popularity and I spat it out straight away. It was gritty and way too milky and it was just put off for life, or so I'd assumed.

When I was scouring the cupboards for the spices that some of these chai recipes required, my mum came in and asked if she could help. She then proceeded to call me a hopeless Pakistani, if I didn't know how to make it already and I have to be fair to her, the way she explained it, I've watched her make tea like that for years. Suddenly it was a familiar recipe that my mum would always just make to taste. And honestly it's much better than any of the coffee shop versions, even if I do say so myself!

- tea bags - one per serving

- 1 cup of water per serving

- stick of cinnamon (or cinnamon powder)

- nutmeg (fresh or powdered)

- ginger (fresh or powdered)

- cardomom (fresh or powdered)

- whole cloves

- vanilla pod (extract can be used too)

- sugar/honey/sweetener (optional)

- milk (optional)

I have deliberately not added amounts to this ingredient list because when it comes to this infusion, it entirely depends on your tastes. I'd always say begin with a little and add more to your tastes. Spices such as these tend to be quite strong and if you're not used to the combination, it can be quite overpowering. 

Again, it is down to personal preference and also availability as to whether you'll use fresh or powdered forms of the spices. For me, the fresher it is, the stronger the flavour but in a less overpowering way. That doesn't sound like it'll make sense to anyone but I know what I mean so I'll hope you do too! 

The recipe itself is simple enough. add the tea bags and water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil and at that point, add all the spices and allow it to simmer for a few minutes. Once you can smell it filling up your kitchen, it will be safe to take it off the heat. Strain the tea to remove all the whole ingredients and add milk at this point, if you want to. 

It should be the perfect warming blend to see you through the colder nights and you get the positive of having the fragrance fill your home for a while afterwards!

And about those China tea cups... let's just say I've been watching a LOT of Downton Abbey recently and I wanted to do things properly. I did have to raid my mum's special crockery cupboard so I may be in trouble if these end up chipped. Oops! Since the tea cups had such a vintage feel, I thought I'd filter the photos to match.

Spiced apple juice

If teas are not your cup of tea (hehehe), then this spiced juice will be just as warming and cosy, without the caffeine. It's really simple too! I was finding all sorts of variations on Pinterest so I just smushed it together to make my own concoction.

- 2 cups apple juice

- stick of cinnamon

- 4 cardamom pods

- zest of one orange

Just like before, pop it all into a saucepan and heat until it's infused and you can smell the spices. It should take about 5 minutes. Then strain, pour into cups and enjoy.

Decadent Hot Chocolate

Now I know I said I wanted replacements for hot chocolate and these two drinks are both comforting and good for you in terms of the spices involved. But I also think, you only live once and you can enjoy a sweet, decadent treat when you need it.

My trick here is to have smaller portions and savour it so that that is all you need. If you think the other recipes were simple, this will be fit for a 6 year old to follow - with adult supervision of course.

This hot chocolate only requires a few squares of dark chocolate and some double cream. You can substitute the double cream for milk or make it half and half of each depending on how rich you would like it.

You simple heat enough double cream for a small mug (~100ml) and place squares of chocolate at the bottom of your mug of choice. When you pour the hot cream over the chocolate, it will eventually melt into the liquid and there you have a rich drink. You should add chocolate to suit your tastes so I prefer dark chocolate but it'll work just as well with white or milk chocolate.

Another simple trick is to infuse the cream with a handful of mint leaves if you want a refreshing minty aftertaste. It'll taste like an after eight mint. Another trick that helps me to be good, is to use espresso cups as they are small enough for a treat but you can't over indulge with them.

I hope you enjoyed these simple easy recipes. I always find that when you make something for yourself, it is all the more satisfying.

Until next time, be inspired...

Love, Z

Letter #33 - Winter is coming

Dear all,

I'm so excited it's December! The minute the calendar flips, I always feel that little more cosy and safe. I know it's officially astronomically not winter yet, but for me, it is as soon as December arrives.

Winter is absolutely my favourite of all seasons and it's such a festive season at that. The fact that Christmas and New Years tie off the month make it all the more special.

Now I don't celebrate Christmas, but I love the idea. Yes, it may be commercial and more a holiday for marketing teams now but once in the swing of things, it creates such a nice atmosphere. The lights, the food, the indulgence and the chance to celebrate the year are all wrapped up in one. In essence, it's just all so pretty and I am basic enough to indulge in that and be proud of it.

This is the first year since I was about 12 that I've had a truly free holiday season. When you're in school, this was the time for term tests and extra holiday homework or as you get to university, it's the only time you have to study for exams which arrive with the new year. I am going to completely enjoy myself this month as I end the year.

So I thought I'd talk a bit about some of my favourite aspects of winter time is general. I know I'm not alone in my love for this time of year.

The air is beautiful

You know what I'm talking about. On the perfect mid winter's day, the skies will be clear and the air will feel crisp and fresh, and while you shiver, you'll also feel refreshed at the sensation. We've had a few of those days already this year, and as the weather gets even colder, I'm sure we'll have more. It makes a change to rain, and wind and even the humid summer months. I'm not at all a fan of summer, and spring and autumn tend to be too rainy for me. Winter is perfectly at peace.

The lights as they glow

In part because of how early darkness hits us, the lights can be a welcome reprieve as the sun takes its leave (that rhymed haha!). As soon as Halloween has come and gone, the Christmas preparations begin and fill the spaces of darkness with colourful and vibrant displays of light. I look forward to the annual switching on of the lights around town and the displays are beautiful. The absolute best place to witness beautiful displays and lights in my opinion is anywhere in London. There is always such a synchronicity between the store front displays and the street lights everywhere you turn. I think my love of lights and displays is similar to that of most people, but there's something about bright spots of colour dotted around an area that gives it an almost magical quality. It so perfectly complements the early darkness.

Darkness feeds my soul

As I just mentioned, it gets dark very early on in the day, usually around 4pm and alongside this, the sun is also late to rise. That is the part of the day that is my favourite. I'm an early riser most of the time, and by 6am, my eyes will open and I will have to debate whether to get up or to force myself to catch up with whatever dream I was consumed in. In the summer months, there is a busy atmosphere much earlier in the day as the sun usually peeks in through the curtains and people gladly begin their days. However, I hate that busy feeling and I much prefer solitude first time in the morning. I may be an early riser but that does not make me a "morning person". Frankly, I think of morning people as those who jump up with a smile on their face, eager to begin the day with a chat and some socialisation. I, however, much prefer a slow morning. That is the only way I can enjoy a morning properly.

I feel like I'm off on a tangent but basically, I like quiet and alone time when I wake and the winter grants that to me. I can get up at 6am, slowly become alert, and have a leisurely breakfast while other either sleep or get up with a grumble. Either way, they're not in the mood to bother me and I love that.

I also feel more productive like that, as thought I've beaten the sun to the finish line! See, I told you the darkness feeds my soul.

Excuse for sweet treats

There is a smell and a taste to winter and I think that might be my most favourite part of all. It's the season of warming soups, and hearty comfort meals; both of which I highly approve of indulging in. But it's also a time of celebration and as such, sweeties are called for. As someone who loves to bake, Christmas time is my go to for that. I become inspired and caught up in the smell of spices and fruit and it makes me more likely to bake. Cinnamon is the best smell to ever have in a kitchen and it's such a winter flavour that I can go a bit overboard with it.

As it's the season of giving, I can gift a lot of what I bake and that makes it all the more sweet when I do indulge in my treats for myself.

What inspires you in the winter and do you have a favourite month or season?

Until next time, be inspired...

Love, Z