Hand off a hot holiday beverage -- to dinner guests, carolers, neighbors who drop by, or kids during tree trimming or story time -- and you instantly warm both tummies and hearts. Make sure you treat yourself too; wrapping your hands around a warm mug in the midst of a hectic holiday can help you unwind while keeping the spirit!
Traditional favorites include hot cider, cocoa, teas and coffees -- all so good there's no need to look for replacements. But by adding just a few of the right spices, you can transform these everyday winter drinks into extraordinary festive fare.
* Tips for Spicing Up a Variety of Hot Drinks:
Mull to be merry.
Mulling a beverage simply means heating and spicing it. Sometimes sweeteners and/or other beverages are added, too. Mulled apple juice or cider is classic, but why not mull other favorites, like cherry, raspberry, white grape and cranberry juices, as well as red and white wines? (Just be careful not to boil the wine or you'll ruin the taste and evaporate the alcohol). Good mulling spices include allspice, cinnamon, cloves, fenugreek, ginger, lemon peel, nutmeg, orange peel, and star anise. Have fun experimenting -- or streamline your holiday routine by stocking up on a mulling spice mix, like Simply Organic Mulling Spice or Frontier Cider Mate.
Give the crock a workout.
Fill your crockpot with an aromatic, warm, spiced beverage and keep it on low throughout the day. You'll have a ready-to-serve treat at any time, and your home will be holiday scented, too.
Homemade gifting.
For simple but lovely homemade gifting, combine the dry ingredients for a special hot drink in a small jar or canister and tie with a festive ribbon. Punch a hole in a recipe card with mixing directions and attach to the ribbon. For even easier gifting, simply place a package of beverage mix -- like those mulling spices -- in a festive mug and tie with a ribbon. Or choose a special tea and deliver it in a pretty cup and saucer.
Stock up on cinnamon sticks.
Indispensable for mulling, cinnamon sticks also spruce up hot party drinks when used as swizzlers. You can even tie half a dozen long sticks together with a satin ribbon for lovely holiday decoration.
Spruce up your black teas.
Add cinnamon sticks, orange peel and/or lemon peel to any black tea. Sweeten, if you like, with honey or brown sugar. To richen the flavor even further, add a tablespoon or two of cognac.
Enliven green teas with crystallized ginger and sliced fruit (like pears).
Think ethnic.
For Spanish flair, add black pepper and chilies or cinnamon to hot chocolate. For French influence, thicken cocoas with cornstarch or arrowroot and stir in some Grand Marnier and vanilla extract. Top with a pinch of freshly ground nutmeg.
For a mocha drink, simply use strongly brewed coffee in place of some of the liquid in your favorite hot cocoa recipe.
Add quality flavorings or extracts for an instant flavor boost.
Frontier offers every option from almond to walnut to any hot beverage -- including milk, cocoa, tea and coffee.
Here’s the recipe for deliciously rich toddy that adds festive delight to any gathering:
Visions of Sugarplums Toddy
Ingredients:
4 cups milk, divided in half (dairy, rice, or soy)
2 tablespoons honey
1/8 teaspoon cardamom powder
4 ounces of white baking chocolate, chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg powder
4 6-inch cinnamon sticks
Directions: Warm 2 cups of the milk, honey, cardamom, and baking chocolate in a saucepan until chocolate is melted. Add remaining milk and heat until warm. Stir in vanilla. Pour into cups, sprinkle with nutmeg, and add cinnamon stick stirrers.
Substitute almond extract (or another flavoring, like peppermint extract) for the vanilla now and then. At a toddler's tuck-in time, serve without the chocolate to induce slumber.
Makes about 4 servings.
For more tips and recipes for hot drinks -- and an online source of ingredients like mulling spices, cocoa, cinnamon sticks and spices -- visit www.frontiercoop.com/hotdrinks.
Courtesy of ARA content
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Lanesborough Town Meeting to Vote Budget, Bylaws & Vehicle Purchases
By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
LANESBOROUGH, Mass. — Tuesday's annual town meeting includes a $14 million operating budget, new short-term rentals, accessory dwelling units and sign bylaws, and free cash article appropriations.
Voters will gather at Lanesborough Elementary School on June 9 at 6 p.m. to decide on 20 warrant articles.
The fiscal 2027 budget is up a little over 10 percent. Some of the main increases are the Mount Greylock Regional School District and McCann Technical School: the McCann assessment is up more than 30 percent based on factors including enrollment and the school renovation project, and Mount Greylock's is up 11 percent.
Article 11 is for the town to vote to approve from free cash the sum of $16,298.48 for the McCann Technical School roof and window replacement project so as not to impact the budget. Article 3 is appropriate $7,586,284 for Mount Greylock Regional School assessment.
Another notable increase was in life and health insurance, showing an increase of about 26 percent.
Ambulance Director Jen Weber is planning 24-hour coverage, which means more staff and a hike in her budget. One of the articles asks the town to appropriate $234,100 to operate the Ambulance Enterprise Fund for salaries and expenses.
Many town departments are looking for new vehicles. The Fire Department is looking to replace its outdated 1996 fire engine. There are two articles related to the truck at a total of $813,366. Article 12 would transfer $225,000 from free cash into the Fire Truck Stabilization Fund; Article 13 would transfer $605,000 from the fund and authorize the borrowing of $208,366.08.
The total includes a $100,000 contingency cost to cover any additional costs if a 2026 model-year chassis cannot be secured before new emissions standards go into effect in 2027.
The board at its last meeting moved the $225,000 transfer to come before the borrowing article, changing the stabilization number. If the $225,000 is not voted on, then they will amend the next article's number on the floor, subtracting the $225,000. This shows the borrowing number significantly lower.
Article 17 asks for the transfer of $80,000 from free cash to replace a police cruiser.
Police Chief Rob Derksen's aim is to replace one vehicle every other year, meaning the oldest vehicle gets replaced about every 10 years.
He stressed that if delayed this year, the town may have to double up in a future year to get back on schedule, and that paying later usually costs more. The article will ask for $80,000 from free cash, the vehicles used to be funded by the BHRD.
Lastly, the Highway Department is looking to replace a 2014 International dump truck that will be a total of $330,000 and will take two to three years to receive.
Money will be used from last year's approval of $250,000 from free cash for the replacement of a 2012 highway front-end loader that was underspent $49,261. Town meeting is being asked to approve a transfer of $53,274.85 from free cash and the use of $227,464 from funds from the Sale of Town Real Estate to fund the balance.
Other free cash proposals include $1,200 to purchase software to support tracking and ongoing maintenance schedules of town-owned vehicles; $42,000 for the replacement of the Highway Department's storage shed roof, $200,000 to reduce the tax levy.
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