the lotus momma

the lotus momma

Saturday, February 5, 2011

hot orange juice

I have been sick with a cold for the last several days, so finally got myself out to the store to pick up the ingredients for my favorite hot beverage, the YaredI never actually remember the name and I have no idea why it is called that (I had to look it up online for this post).  When I head to my favorite local coffeehouse where I discovered the Yared, I always just ask for "that hot o.j. drink...you know the one with the limes and honey."

I should back up.  As a child, I was never really an apple juice kid.  I have always preferred orange juice.  It probably had something to do with growing up in Florida.  We didn't exactly head out to apple orchards in the fall and bake homemade pies and heat up cider.  I have grown to appreciate these traditions--and even like apples--now that I know there are varieties other than mcintosh (ughhh, I hate when they get mealy).  Honeycrisps really won me over a few years ago, even though the farmer I buy them from is an incredibly moody woman. 

Anyways, where I grew up we had the most delicious, fresh-off-the-tree oranges.  I remember climbing the highest I ever have in a tree to pick tangelos (large as an orange, but as sweet as a tangerine!) from a neighbor's huge tree.  I vividly remember not being afraid of falling, but of being caught.  My dad wouldn't allow me to ask the neighbor for permission.  Being a kid, I couldn't not have some of those oranges.  In my kid-logic, if I was going to steal oranges, I wanted to take those that would go to waste anyways because that did not seem as unethical.  I climbed higher than the two-story home's rooftop, throwing down the oranges that would have otherwise rotted at the top of the tree to my waiting (and hiding) sister or friends.

I never thought of heating up the orange juice.  It doesn't really get cold enough in central Florida to start craving hot beverages and when it did, I took advantage of the small windows of opportunity to get hot chocolate.  Then, I moved north.  And there was so much apple cider and I was so not impressed.  Until one day, sitting in a coffee shop here in DC, I spotted the Yared.  It's warm, and sweet-tart, and actually seasonal (oranges are a winter fruit!)  I fell in love.  

Particularly when I am feeling under the weather, it is the perfect medicine.  I do understand that OJ doesn't really do anything to prevent or cure a cold.  But it makes me feel so much better.

The Recipe:
1 cup of orange juice
1 large wedge of lime
1 large wedge of lemon
honey, to taste

Directions:
Squeeze lemon and lime wedges into a cup and drop the wedges in to the bottom of the cup.  Add the orange juice.  Heat in microwave (approximately 1.5-2 minutes) or on stovetop.  Add honey to taste (I like a teaspoon's worth of local honey). 

4 comments:

  1. I'm fighting a cold and think I will try this recipe. My mom was telling me to use honey and lemon for a sore throat; but adding the oj will probably make it taste even better.

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  2. Dear yogamomma(aka darling daughter), Your dad may not have seen you in the trees, but I remember busting you guys more than a couple of times. However, I believe I looked around, made sure no one was looking, and told you to knock as many as possible out of the tree. After all, like you said, the neighbors fruit ended up rotting and that just wouldn't be right!

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  3. One of my favorite cold-weather/sick drinks is Diet Coke in a microwave...it's like a tea, but BETTER!

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  4. let's be honest mpedroza...your favorite anytime drink is diet coke ;) i cannot imagine it heated up, but since i also thought hot oj would be gross, i will give it a try once i am no longer nursing

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