Drink Joy

As we approach the Winter Solstice, I have found myself spending more and more time inside. At this time of year I love the call of the indoors, of warm meals, and darker days. I so enjoy a long simmered bone broth on the woodstove, or pulling a variety of vegetables from the root cellar to whip up the evening's meal. I love looking over all the various canned goods from Summer and pulling out just the right jam or sauce to accompany what we will be eating. Eyeing our dry beans or mushrooms, to choose which will be soaked and cooked the following day. I get great pleasure out of the long careful rise of a sourdough loaf, or the slow fermentation of a wine in a glass carboy on the floor. I may grow tired of these sweet pleasures, as I often do, come April, yet for now, they provide such bliss.

In addition to the shift in our diet, I find myself readily sipping on a warm beverage, while buried in a book, listening to a podcast, or working on a knitting or sewing project. All the beautiful activities I put off in one way or another in the summer while the call of the garden is too great. The variety of teas, tisanes, lattes, and coffees that I consume during these cold months are endless, each day brings a new delicious concoction. I thought it'd be delightful to share with you what I sip on, what I add to my yummy drinks, and inspire you to create some deliciousness of your own !

I am actively attempting to reduce my caffeine intake. Therefore, my first cup of coffee is a good 'ol regular Cup of Joe and my second cup of the day if often 2/3rds decaffeinated and 1/3 regular coffee. I personally enjoy the flavor of a good decaf blend and welcome the variety. 

My second cup of coffee is typically some variation of this:

1/3 locally roasted organic coffee (Favorite local roaster here in Keene, NH is Terra Nova, and there coffee is also available for purchase online: https://terranovacoffee.net/)

2/3 locally roasted organic decaffeinated coffee (Terra Nova also has a delicious decaf blend, I'd highly recommend)

Our coffee is always made with our stainless steel French Press. The stainless steel is a game changer, as it stays hot longer, but also can be placed on a trivet on our wood stove if my second cup of coffee isn't right away.

-Some days we'll cut in our Roasted Dandelion Root Chai and steep it with the coffee, or make a tea prior and steep our coffee with that. Our blend includes wild-gathered Dandelion roots (then roasted), Cinnamon, Cacao Chips, Marshmallow, Chaga, Cardamom, and Star Anise.

-Bitters! Are now a regular addition in the second cup. My personal favorite is our Dandelion Bitters. Bitters help support digestion and offer balance to a sweetened cup of coffee.

-Tinctures! Single extracts I may add to my cup of coffee include Reishi, Chaga, & Ashwagandha. Really the possibilites are endless, I just wouldn't add something too strongly flavored that would overpower the coffee taste I so enjoy!

-Organic Maca Root powder. A lovely root with an earthy, malty flavor, pairs great with coffee. May increase libido and boost energy. I typically add a 1/2 tsp to a ~10oz cup of coffee.

-Ashwagandha powder, our farm grown. Another great adaptogen, that eases stress and anxiety. I typically add a 1/2 tsp to a ~10oz cup of coffee.

-Roasted Cacao powder. Cacao has benefical polyphenols and adds great richness. I typically add a 1/2 to 1 tsp to a ~10oz cup of coffee.

-Local New Hampshire Maple Syrup. I love a touch of sweetness in my coffee.

-Local Raw Milk. Full of great vitamins, fats, and beneficial bacteria. 

I put what additions I may be adding for the day (it's usually not ALL of the above, unless I'm feeling extra fancy that day!) and fill my cup half way up with my coffee blend. I then use an immersion blender to blend the coffee until frothy and then top off with remaining coffee from the French Press. A dash of Cinnamon or Cacao on top always adds a bit of extra delight!

For a more floral cup, especially in the darker Winter months, I look to uplifting, calming, graceful, and heart-holding herbs. I am often just reaching in and pulling out, among the jars of dried beautiful herbs from the summer season, what calls to me. 

A few of my personal favorite musts for a cold Winter Day blend include:

-Nettle. Nutrient rich, deeply earthy and delicious. 

-Lemon Balm. Uplifting sweet Melissa, calming joy.

-Rose Hips. Vitamin C rich, and sweet citrus.

-Tulsi. Ease for stress and heartache, sweet and spicy. 

-Rose Petals. For the heart, their beauty alone brings gladness to my spirit.

-Red Clover. To keep blood moving with ease.

-Oat tops or Oat straw. Another nutrient rich addition with added support to a frazzled nervous system. 

The list could go on and on, but these are some of my favorites to support me in the depths of Winter. I often would use 2-3 of the above, and potentially add other herbs that are more specific to something I may be dealing with that day or that week. I brew my tea in a different French press than the coffee, as to not impart coffee taste on herbal tea. I add A LOT of herb, we use a 1 quart French press and I fill it nearly half full with the herb blend. Cover with near boiling water and stir. I let my blend sit anywhere from 5-20 minutes. If I have added a lot of flowers or 'delicate' herbs, I steep less. If I have mostly nutrient rich, less floral herbs, I steep longer. 

The beauty of making well-crafted warm beverage never ceases to amaze me. I love thinking about the day I harvested the plant I am now brewing and the reflection on the previous season brings hope for the one to come. I have such reverence for the plants and their power to support me emotionally and physically. I honor them not just when they are harvested, but when they are taken into my body with love. 

Lastly, Only harvest with respect to the land. Never harvest on someone else's land without permission, from sites that may be polluted, or if you do not know what it is you are harvesting. Give THANKS to the plants, they are our kin.

I encourage you to get to know the plants around you, sit with the ones you grow while they bloom and give thanks when you harvest. Find joy in looking among the jars of plants come January and give gratitude as you sip a delicious, thoughtful brew you've made for yourself in honor of those beautiful plant beings!

May you enjoy the dark Winter days and the pleasure of the plants,

Nicole

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.*