Teas For the Season

The wind is howling, the snow is swirling in the air, and the weatherman says to get out your boots, gloves, and heavy coat for the day. It is winter and you can feel the chill from your head on down to your toes. Tis the season for warm drinks to soothe your spirit. Hot chocolate, coffees, toddies, and of course, teas. There is no shortage of tea varieties to try, now is a perfect time to head to your local store and see what's new on the shelves in addition to your standard faves. Here's what I'm sipping this season, and varieties I would recommend you try if you're looking for something new, warming, delicious and cozy.

Chai.com - Chai has become a globally beloved beverage, a comforting blend of spices that has brought Indian flavors to the world. The varieties sold at popular chain stores can be inauthentic and weak. To try the real thing, check out chai.com. Their heirloom blend is a traditional masala chai with black assam tea, black pepper, Ceylon cinnamon, ginger, cloves, green cardamom and nutmeg. Their glow chai offers everything you need to make golden turmeric milk. Love Chai adds rose petals and cardamom to the traditional heirloom blend. All very warming and nourishing to the spirit in these chilly days.

Vahdam – "Golden mylk" is also known as turmeric tea, which is traditionally known as haldi doodh by generations of Indians who grew up sipping this warm, comforting elixir before bedtime as part of their Ayurvedic practices. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory spice that offers benefits to our bodies when consumed. Vahdam specializes in chai, black, and turmeric teas combined with healthy herbs and spices like ginger, saffron, or ashwagandha to increase the health effects with each sip. 

Harney and Sons – A true family owned and run tea company, Harney and Sons has been producing high-quality, fair-trade tea blends for 40 years. Their shop in New York's Soho neighborhood is a tea-lovers mecca. Many of their blends are ideal for cold temperatures, but their Hot Cinnamon Spice blends has over 13,000 reviews on their site for a reason. It's warm, sweet, and instantly makes your body feel comfortable and cozy no matter how cold it is outside. 

Yogi – Known for a deep history of wellness inspired brews, for five decades they have made functional teas that find inspiration in Ayurvedic practices, but also incorporate elements from other culinary cultures. Their Cinnamon Horchata Stress + Sleep tea is both delicious and effective. It combines comforting cinnamon and toasted rice with the adaptogenic benefits of ashwagandha and passionflower to offer sleep and stress relief. 

The CommuniTea – This small tea business is based in Chicago and hosts local in-person tea tastings to share the knowledge and love of tea. In addition to events, their website offers a well-curated range of teas that are perfect for every season. For small batch green, black, white, oolong or herbal teas, you are guaranteed quality and drinkability from this indie brand.