January is Hot Tea Month

Cold air has finally found us here in the Northeast.  Your fingers may be feeling a little stiff and you may feel a chill right down to your bones.  Perhaps wrapping yourself in a big warm blanket is not fully chasing away the chill. Well, the timing is perfect as January is Hot Tea Month! Wrap you fingers around a nice warm mug and feel the warmth spread throughout your body with each sip of tea.

Tea is a healthy drink full of antioxidants and other potentially healthful ingredients. Studies have shown that tea can lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, lower the risk of many cancers, protect against obesity, and improve mental alertness. And it tastes delicious and has a calming effect as well!
 

Drink your tea slowly and reverently as if it is the axis on which the world revolves—slowly, evenly, without rushing toward the future. Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life. -Thich Nhat Hanh

There are many different blends of teas to try. This is the perfect month to sample many and possibly discover a new favorite! Ginger tea is a popular choice for the cold winter months.  It has a spicy, invigorating taste and often is used to relieve cold symptoms. 

Allow me, Karen Giles, to offer some tea brewing tips:

• Always begin with fresh, cold water
• Allow the water to come to a full boil then use immediately
• Tea bags steep more quickly than loose leaves
• Remove tea leaves once desired strength is reached
• Do not use a tea cozy with leaves remaining in the pot as this will make the tea bitter

So go ahead and brew some tea.  Grab a warm blanket and find a quiet place to relax.  Watch the steam rise from your mug and enjoy the peacefulness.