The weather has turned cold and snowy (yes!) here in Vermont already, and my days are currently being spent squirreled away in my office, bundled in cozy sweaters, peering out the rain/snow spattered windows as I type myself ever closer toward the end of my current novel. The wind howls and tugs the last of the brown oak leaves from the places where they struggle to cling, and the wild geese crash their wings against the cold water and white caps cresting the surface of the lake.

This, my friends, is tea weather at its most ideal.

And it's inspired me to not only share with you three of my favorite tea recipes (the warm, sweet nectars I guzzle on the daily, and which spawn many afternoons of inspiration) for the chilly season ahead of us, but to make a video about it! (With pretty b-roll and all...even if I do say so myself...)

I can ardently vouch for the fact that these three lovely hot drinks make rather sweet writing companions. So below you'll find a video in which I whip up all three, and even farther below you'll find recipes for all three drinks so that you can whip them up yourself.

GOLDEN FOG

Ingredients:

2 cups of water (or to taste, depending on how strong you like your tea)

1 ginger root

½ - 1 teaspoon of honey

2 drops of organic liquid stevia (optional)

¼ cup of steamed/foamed plant based milk

Ground ginger (garnish)

Directions:

Peel and chop a generous handful of ginger and add it to two cups of boiling water. Let it boil for at least an hour, then remove from the heat and strain it into a mug. Add about half a teaspoon to a full teaspoon of honey, and a couple drops of organic liquid stevia. Stir and add foamed almond milk and sprinkle with ground ginger.

Ingredients: 

1 gallon of water

20 black peppercorns (to taste)

About 17 cardamom pods 

20 whole cloves

3-4 cinnamon sticks

6-7 organic black teabags

1 teaspoon of maple syrup 

¼ cup of steamed/foamed plant based milk

Pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg (garnish)

Directions:

Bring about a gallon of water to a boil. Add about twenty black peppercorns, a handful of cardamom pods after popping them open, about twenty whole cloves, one large chopped ginger root, and three to four sticks of cinnamon. Let all of these ingredients boil together, uncovered, then reduce to a simmer and add about six or seven organic black tea bags, and let steep on low heat for at least an hour. Later, remove the tea bags and fresh ingredients and strain into a mug, mixing in a teaspoon of maple syrup and topping with foamed plant based milk. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and nutmeg.

What's your go-to warm writing drink on a cold autumn (or early winter, like we have here in Vermont) day? What are your favorite mix-ins for a good cup of tea? Comment below, I would love to hear!