Cold nights, HOT DRINKS

There are plenty of ways to put some fire in your belly and keep the winter chill at bay

- LORRAINE KEARNEY

The cold may not have bothered Elsa of Arendelle, but for the rest of us, the winter chill has us reaching for whatever warmth comes to hand, often in the form of hot beverages. The first drink of choice for most is coffee. It's been a stalwart for centuries, originating in Ethiopia and cultivated in Arabia by the 15th century. It may be more popular, but it is not as old as tea. Drinking tea dates back to the third century in China.

Coffee drinking has become something of a way of life and comes in all sorts of guises: hot, cold, iced, flat white, latte, cortado... it goes on. It's mixed with chocolate for ocha, and with chai for a dirty chai latte.

TEA PLEASE

Tea does not have such a hold on our attention. In Asian countries, it is often served after meals to aid digestion. Oddly, it is drunk both for warmth in cold climes, and to cool you down when it's really hot. And it comes in more ways than even coffee: oolong, chai, pu-erh, rooibos, honey bush, buchu, matcha, green, black, white, yellow, even purple.

And there are more herbal and fruit teas than you can shake a stick at, though they are not really tea. Herbal teas are made from tisanes, or blends or infusions of dried fruits, flowers, spices or herbs in water. They still keep you warm. Not so much to keep you warm as to keep you in tip-top health, Ayurvedic herbal teas are made from Indian medicinal plants and spices. They are said to have health benefits for mindfulness and digestion. Common flavours are ginger, turmeric, cardamom and cinnamon.

BITTER PILL

In South America, mate is made from the dried leaves of the yerba mate plant and is traditionally served with a metal straw or bombilla. But it is bitter and somewhat of an acquired taste.