With the first autumn breeze announcing the approach of winter, we start longing for a sip of our favourite traditional drink of the season, be it New Year’s, autumn, and Halloween, or simply winter’s warming, delicious traditional drinks. Some newly discovered flavours and drinks are becoming so widespread that they are becoming traditional trends of the season.
Autumn is known for its own customary spices, among them is what is traditionally called pumpkin spice because what other than pumpkins is autumn known for?
The Pumpkin Spice Latte is a coffee drink made with steamed milk, espresso, and sometimes sugar, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. Starbucks is most usually linked with beverages. The popular flavour has inspired a wide range of seasonal product variants.
Sahlab is a creamy beverage, with a consistency ranging between custard and pudding, that is commonly found in Egypt, the Middle East, Turkey, Lebanon, Palestine, Greece, and India that is created from milk and orchid flour. Boiling water can be used to make sahlab in place of milk. This is the situation in Cyprus, where it is made without milk and instead with boiling water.
However, orchid flour is now scarce and costly. This is why corn starch is frequently used as its substitute. The artificial orchid flavour is frequently used in commercially accessible powders. The toppings that are served with the sahlab can differ from one country to the next. For instance, it is served with cinnamon and ground pistachios in the Middle East and Turkey. The traditional sahlab in Egypt and other Near Eastern nations includes finely grated coconut.
Made from sweet red beans and mochi (rice cake), oshiruko is a Japanese Dessert Soup that is typical of Japan. Oshiruko is typically made from dried azuki beans and topped with mochi that was left over from the New Year’s festivities. It can be easily produced with purchased mochi from supermarkets, canned red bean paste, and canned red beans.
Traditionally made with whipped egg whites, egg yolks, sugar, milk, and cream, eggnog is traditionally drunk during the Christmas season, from late October through the end of the holiday season in Canada, the United States and some European countries. Since the early 1900s, Venezuela has produced a type known as ponche crema.
Eggnog is typically served chilled, however on chilly days, it may also be heated. It is interesting that other beverages, such as coffee, for example, an “eggnog latte” espresso drink and tea, may also contain eggnog flavouring.
When speaking of winter beverages, how can one skip the famous hot chocolate? It is the perfect drink for chocoholics. Almost consumed literally all over the world, there may be some variants of hot chocolate in some countries.
For instance, Mexican hot chocolate makes use of Hints of cinnamon and nutmeg. In Hungary, it is Spiced with paprika, white pepper and cloves. In Spain and Italy, it has a really thick consistency, just like the Parisian Chocolat Chaud. The best chocolate with at least 70% cocoa is required for the recipe. To make a thick consistency more akin to melted fudge than anything else, the chocolate is mixed with whole milk and cream. You may up the indulgence by adding extra brown sugar and vanilla for even more sweetness.
Italy goes above and beyond by using corn starch to further thicken the recipe. The outcome has a consistency similar to pudding.
Indian hot chocolate follows the tradition of Indian food, which is renowned for its use of earthy spices. White chocolate serves as the base for Mumbai hot chocolate, which is then mixed with ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, clove, and peppercorns.
The more daring eaters who are eager to try something completely different should choose this last variety of hot chocolate: Colombian hot chocolate. Cheese cubes are an unexpected component in Colombian hot chocolate. Make the beverage in a warm mug with honey, cinnamon, cloves, and bitter chocolate from Colombia. Then, slice up some cheese cubes and add them in for a melty surprise.
Cider is a fruity beverage that is made from fermented apple juice. It’s really well-liked in the UK. While cider can be served cold in the summer, it tastes best somewhat warmed up in the winter. Mulled cider can be enhanced with a number of spices, such as oranges, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, or anise.
Sbiten is a wonderful warmer that has a honey base and is made with water, jam, and spices. Numerous varieties exist, including sbiten with strawberry, blackberry, or apricot jam, jalapeño peppers, mint, or molasses, as well as with cardamom pods, fresh ginger slices, cloves, lemon zest, and nutmeg.
Sujeonggwa is a traditional winter beverage in Korea that is frequently enjoyed on New Year’s Eve. It has a distinctive flavour for this particular Christmas and is made with ginger, cinnamon sticks, sugar, pine nuts, and persimmons.
A hot toddy, commonly referred to as hot whiskey in Ireland, is a hot, mixed beverage made with booze and water, honey (or, in some recipes, sugar), lemon, herbs (like tea), and spices. This drink is believed to relieve symptoms of cold and flu.
Are you ready to try strange drinks after reading this list of beverages ranging from traditional to unusual or bizarre, or will you stick to your country’s well-known traditional drinks?
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