For the fifth straight year, October is Dining Month on OnMilwaukee.com, presented by Concordia University. All month, we're stuffed with restaurant reviews, delectable features, chef profiles and unique articles on everything food, as well as the winners of our "Best of Dining 2011."
Though this past week has been as warm and breezy as a Seals & Crofts top 40 hit, we've already gotten a taste of chilly air and we know more is coming. Luckily, this is Wisconsin and we're not afraid to snuggle up with a warming beverage to take the edge of the brisk autumn air.
Here are a couple ways to do it...
First up are some hot tea-based drinks created by America's first tea sommelier, James Labe.
Dutch Tea
- 4 oz. Numi Chocolate Puerh Tea
- 2 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
- 1 oz. Heavy cream
- Sugar
Steep 1 Numi Chocolate Pu-erh tea bag at normal strength with freshly boiled water for 3 minutes, then remove bag. Add Vodka and stir. Whip cream with a little sugar and float on top. Dust with Powdered Cocoa to garnish.
Orange Spiced Cider
- 1 Numi Orange Spice Tea Bag
- 8 oz. Apple cider
- 2 oz. Ron Abuelo Añejo rum
Heat Cider until very hot. Steep 1 Tea Bag directly in Cider for 5 minutes, covered. Uncover, add Rum and stir. Garnish with Cinnamon Stick.
If the anise-y goodness of Italian sambuca is more to your taste, you can use a classic brand like Molinari to create these two legendary concoctions.
Caffe Corretto
- 1 Shot espresso
- 1 Shot sambuca
Blend, stir and enjoy.
Flaming Mo(linari)
- Pour a double shot into a tall trumpet shot glass
- Add a few espresso beans.
Light it up. Wait five or six second and blow it out. Just watching the blue flame is enough to warm you up, but the toasted, sambuca-soaked espresso beans will add to the experience.
