Fire Up the Kettle, It’s Hot Tea Month!

January 22, 2019

Even if coffee is your morning beverage of choice, you can still celebrate Hot Tea Month with the rest of us and enjoy a little health boost at the same time. And if your first reaction is, “tea is a little thin,” and there’s something more appealing about a full-bodied cup of coffee with cream, never fear — there are plenty of latte options for you. In fact there’s something for everyone in the world of tea, from uber-healthy and calorie-free green and white teas, to the yummy dessert-like recipes we found for creamy Chai lattes and sweet and spicy teas.

Pure and Simple 

For the purist, you need nothing more than your favorite-flavored tea bag in a mug of steaming hot water to celebrate hot tea month. Check out all the flavors from Colorado’s own Celestial Seasonings. With 80 varieties, you can get a morning caffeine kick, an herbal floral or fruit break or a just-before-bedtime tea.  

But for those of us who like a little sugar in our tea, there’s Taste of Home’s Spiced Green Tea with crushed cardamom, cinnamon sticks and fresh gingerroot. Or the Russian Tea concoction from All Recipes made with Tang®, lemonade, cinnamon and cloves. And All Recipes has more than 40 additional tea recipes to help you celebrate Hot Tea Month.

Not to be outdone, Cookpad put together 120 tea recipes (some made with Black Tea Jelly?!) for tea lovers and tea tasters.  You’ll find in scrolling through a collection of everything from hot soothing beverages and snacks to serve with them (like Earl Grey Tea Dhokla) to tea cocktails and even parfaits. 

Win $500 for Trying Tea!

The National Tea Council is hosting its third annual IndividualiTea Photo Sharing Sweepstakes where you can win $500 and a year’s supply of tea! Enter by brewing a cup of black, green, white, dark or oolong tea and sharing your photo, video or description on Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #IndividualiTEA and tag @TeaCouncil.

Keep Calm and Carry On…With Tea

While you may not agree with George Orwell who wrote that “tea was one of the mainstays of civilization” Brits definitely love their tea and drink about 60 billion cups of the stuff annually. (And all because a Chinese emperor accidentally pour hot water over some leaves 5,000 years ago!). The U.S. is growing increasingly more fond of the beverage, but nowhere near our cousins across the pond! 

You can sample a little of the British tradition at an Afternoon Tea at The Brown Palace in downtown Denver (321 17th Street) most afternoons. The historic luxury hotel offers teas, scones, finger sandwiches and an opportunity to experience a unique and longstanding tradition. With Devonshire cream shipped directly from England and the soft sounds of harp music floating in the air, here’s your chance to sample a little bit of British culture, just 30 minutes from Southshore!

Or head to Parker, about 30 minutes south of Southshore and stop into the cozy English Tea Leaves café where you can order one of 125 different teas, attend tea tastings, or sign up for tea classes in pairing tea with foods and blending different loose leaf teas. English Tea Leaves is located at 18551 Mainstreet in Parker.

Health Benefits of Tea

Various scientific studies have revealed that tea drinkers have lower odds of skin, breast, and prostate cancers. Tea, particularly green and white teas, are rich in compounds like antioxidants, which can limit cell damage and boost the immune system. They also contain polyphenols, which can lower blood pressure and cholesterol, and may help avert Alzheimer’s disease by preventing the formation of brain-damaging plaques.

Life at the Lake

The master-planned community of Southshore offers an “away-from-it-all” ambiance with access to Life at the Lake, but with a location convenient to dining, shopping and all kinds of recreation. Experience lakeside living with a tour of several exquisitely-designed model homes from Century Communities, Richmond American Homes and Toll Brothers. Available in ranch and two-story designs, Southshore homes are priced between the upper $300s and the $700s.