Issue 71: From Sara Kate
Greetings from Montreal where it’s cold and snowy, which definitely gets me in the mood for taking it way easy and getting super cozy. I’m here with my daughter to eat great food (this is a killer food city!), dip into a Nordic spa, and cruise the plethora of vintage clothing stores. As she grows older, holidays have become less about running around and making things just-so and instead, leaning into quality time together.
Back home this weekend, Christmas will be a mellow affair with that take-it-easy-and-cozy theme still totally activated. Warm beverages on the couch is where I’m at lately, so I’m thinking about two wintery drinks we have in our cookbook (that just made The NY Times Best Cookbooks of 2022 list!). What’s great about these is you can also make them as gifts. For the Chai, just package up the spices and tea bags and print out the recipe. The Italian Hot Chocolate recipe is written as a mix with instructions for turning it into a drink.
About the chai: I’ve been making this sweet, milky, spicy tea from scratch for years, since moving to New York City and getting hooked on the chai from Lahore Deli, a little Pakistani joint in SoHo that recently closed. When we opened The Dynamite Shop’s café, it immediately went on the menu, and kids often asked for some after class. So of course we taught them to make it themselves.
This isn’t a “chai latte” like you find at Starbucks; that’s the overly sweet, not properly spiced (in my opinion) concoction most kids are familiar with. My recipe, below, has whole spices (cinnamon, star anise, cloves, cardamom, and black peppercorns) plus some fresh ginger. I steep these spices in the tea, pretty much the same way you steep the tea leaves, and the flavors come alive and create a fragrant, sweet drink to get you going in the morning or send you off to sweet dreams. (Decaf tea bags for kids and nighttime, of course.)
As for the hot chocolate: in Italy, people drink a version of hot chocolate that is much thicker than what most of us are accustomed to in the States. It is extra rich, so a small portion goes a long way. Mixed into hot milk, this is a great treat for cookie dipping or to serve on its own as a small dessert after a big winter meal. Of course, any chocolate will work, but if you have some high-quality semisweet chocolate (60% cacao or higher), you will really notice the difference.
May these winter days be snuggly and peaceful for you all.