Hot Drinks for Cool Days

Hot tea with lemon, anyone?

Nothing says “cozy” like a warm drink on a cold day.  At Happy Cabin, we’ve mastered the basics—hot cocoa with whipped cream, mulled apple cider, hot lemon water with honey. Chai is another family favorite, swirled with a few fresh cloves, sprinkled with cardamom, or served with a cinnamon stick.  Many of our traditions have a signature hot drink.  For the past few years, we’ve been hunting Christmas trees with mugs of espresso spiked with Patron XO Café.  Trick-or-treating is a little more festive with thermoses of warm, mulled wine.  When traveling, we make an effort to try the local hot drinks.  We’ve enjoyed "jarras" of warm agua dulce in Costa Rica (sugar cane dissolved in hot water), canelazo in Peru (hot water with cinnamon, cloves, panela, and aguardiente), and chicha in Ecuador (a fermented beverage made with corn and grains).  Which makes me curious.  What are other families drinking when the temperatures start to drop?  Maybe our favorites have yet to be discovered.  Here are a few recipes we’re looking forward to putting in our thermoses to take the edge off winter’s chill. 

Salted Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

There are several adaptations of this delicious-sounding beverage making the rounds (like these from Dinner with Julie and Chocolate Moosey).  It’s a genius idea.  Swirl a few tablespoons of creamy peanut butter in your favorite hot chocolate recipe and finish with a sprinkle of sea salt and a marshmallow or two. 

Turmeric Lemon Infusion

I love a simple brew of hot water, fresh-squeezed lemon, and honey.  To take it up a notch, add a dash of turmeric, a sprinkle of cayenne, and a pinch of sea salt.  This version from Shape is billed as "hot and healthy." 

Apple Chai-der

Why not enjoy two favorites in one? Mix equal parts hot apple cider with your favorite steeped chai.  Finish with a dollop of whipped cream, a slice of apple, and a sprinkle of cinnamon.  Cooking Canuck has a slow cooker version, touched up with star anise. 

Boozy Coffee

There are endless variations on this one, including our traditional mix of anything-coffee plus Patron XO Café.  For something a little different, Town & Country has a nice version with an orangey twist. Take a strong cup of coffee and make it a little stronger with Grand Marnier (½ shot), Kahlua (½ shot), and brandy (½ shot)  Finish with a dash of sugar, a dollop of whipped cream, and a scrape of orange peel. 

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