By J. Rose Allister (Guest Blogger)
What is it? TEA! (I know what you were thinking, naughty. Heh.)
Believe it or not, January is National Hot Tea Month. Yes, a whole month dedicated to this comforting, versatile beverage, and for good reason. In honor of this, here are some random facts about tea, a recipe, and a free giveaway!
Tea is consumed more than any drink in the world except for water.
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Tea contains ½ the caffeine of a cup of coffee, and the bulk of the caffeine a cup of tea is released during the first 30 seconds of brewing. Throw that brew out and make another cup for an even greater reduction in caffeine.
Despite all the different kinds of tea (oolong, Earl Grey, green, darjeeling, etc.), all teas come from one plant: Camellia Sinensis.
Tea can absorb odors in your fridge (similar to baking soda) and can be used to fertilize your garden.
Irish consume more tea per capita than any other group.
Boasted medicinal properties of tea include reducing cholesterol, weight loss, anti-cancer aid, stress reduction, anti-venom, and even combating certain infections
One cup of tea contains as many antioxidants as 10 cups of apple juice.
I have a recipe to share with you in honor of Hot Tea Month: Chai. Ever tried this? Chai is a spicy milk tea that originated in India and has become a popular drink worldwide. The mixture of tea, sugar, milk, and cinnamon spices is great on a wintry day—or iced in the summer!
Recipe for Chai Tea Mix Ingredients courtesy of AllRecipes.com
1 cup nonfat dry milk powder
1 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
1 cup French vanilla flavored powdered non-dairy creamer
2 1/2 cups white sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened instant tea
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
Combine ingredients in a bowl, then process in blender or food processor 1 cup at a time until all is well mixed into a fine powder. Store in a tightly covered container. To make chai tea, stir 2 rounded tablespoons of chai mix into a mug of hot water.
Makes about 6 cups mix
Now, how about a free giveaway? Get a little tea/goodie sampler in honor of National Tea Month! Post in the comments here for a chance to win. One commenter will be selected to win the pack. Good luck, and happy tea month!
BIO:
J. Rose Allister is an award-winning romantic and erotic story writer, and the author of novels KATA SUTRA and THEIR SECRET PARADISE. For more info on her work, visit The Power of Passion: http://jroseallister.awardspace.us
KATA SUTRA--Rated SCORCHING
Available at Bookstrand.
THEIR SECRET PARADISE—Rated 4 Flames
Available at AllRomance eBooks and Fictionwise.
11 comments:
I enjoy a cup of hot tea frequently.
I have tried Chai tea and didn't really care for it.
I said the exact same thing the first time I tried it! I finally gave it a shot at Starbucks some years later, though, and really liked it. Guess it depended on the preparation, though I imagine anyone who isn't big on cinnamon spices won't be a fan. Thanks for commenting!
Welcome to Beyond Romance, J.Rose,
Thanks so much for sharing your tasty-tea facts!
I've had the original India "masala tea" on which Chai is based. Very sweet--more like dessert than a beverage.
Good luck with your latest releases!
Warmly,
Lisabet
I'm a coffee-kind-of-girl, but I appreciate your post and your hot, lovely covers. And for those lazy people like me...Sam's Club sells big tins of Chai Tea Mix...and it's good. :)
Hi and welcome J. Rose; thanks so much for the Chai tea recipe; I love Iced tea and I love cinnamon so that is a great combination.
Here's to Hot Tea month and me trying this sometime.
Thanks for the recipe, J. Rose!
Maggie
I love tea im not a coffee drinker at all but i love a good cup of hot tea deff will be trying this J!
Thanks for the recipe. I only drink tea. Ihave never been able to develop a taste for coffee. Debby236 at att dot net
I adore green tea, in all flavors. As a matter of fact, I have a carafe of orange spiced green tea sitting next to me.
Thanks for the recipe, it sounds yummy.
Tracey D
Lots of tea fans!! Thanks for stopping by, everyone.
Now for my tea/goodie sampler giveaway! Congratulations to.....Robynl! Please contact me at jroseallister AT verizon DOT net with your mailing address and I'll get your prize out to you. :)
Special thanks to Lisabet for hosting me here today!
Well, we've done our bit for promoting hot tea month, as both my husband and I (he more than me) have ingested several cups of tea already this month! What a wonderful article and great recipe. Thanks!
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