What does autumn taste like in your house?
For lots of us it is cinnamon, cloves, warm apple and a little nutmeg. Yet most days we just flick the kettle on, grab whatever teabag is nearest and drink it half cold between jobs.
This week, why not take 15 minutes for a little hygge moment and make a warm autumn drink? Something gently spiced, made slowly in a pan, that fills the kitchen with the smell of the season.
Instant hot chocolate with a pinch of cinnamon counts.
Make it cosy
Before you start, pull together a few bits:
- A small saucepan and a wooden spoon
- Your base: milk, apple juice or a pot of strong tea
- A little spice: a cinnamon stick, a couple of cloves or a grating of nutmeg
- Honey, maple syrup or brown sugar to sweeten
- Your chunkiest, most comforting mug
Your 15 minutes of spice and steam
- Choose your drink. Spiced apple, cinnamon hot chocolate or a milky chai all work beautifully.
- Warm it gently. Pour your base into the pan and heat it low and slow.
- Add the spice. Drop in your cinnamon or cloves and give it a lazy stir.
- Let it steep. Leave it on a gentle heat for a few minutes while the kitchen fills with the smell.
- Pour and sweeten. Strain into your mug, add a little honey and wrap both hands around it.
Slow it right down
Stirring a pan is one of those small jobs that asks you to stay put for a minute. Let it be a pause rather than a chore.
As you stir and sip, try to notice:
- The moment the spices start to scent the air
- The gentle swirl of steam rising from the pan
- The weight and warmth of the mug in your hands
- How that first sip warms you right down to your toes
Finish gently
Take your drink to the comfiest seat you have, pull a blanket over your knees and let the rest of the day wait a moment. If you are after more seasonal ideas, here is how to create a hygge moment this autumn.
You could also:
- Make a bigger pan and share it with someone you love
- Keep a little jar of mixed spices by the kettle
- Try a new autumn drink each weekend until you find your favourite
- Pour it into a flask for a chilly walk
Do keep an eye on the pan, take care with hot liquids and keep little hands well away from the hob.
Your 15-minute challenge
This weekend, give yourself 15 minutes.
Get out a pan. Add a little spice. Stir slowly.
Then curl up somewhere soft and drink it while it is still steaming.
It does not have to be a café recipe. It does not have to look pretty.
It just has to be this weekend.
A little spice makes any afternoon feel like autumn.
For more hygge moments subscribe below: