Turmeric Milk!

Hey y'all! We are going deep into the belly of the beast-- winter! We wake up in the dark (especially here in Turkey where for some nefarious reason the govt insists on keeping daylights saving time year-round) and go home in the dark, all the time battling invisible hordes of bacteria and viruses that attack our systems. We miss the sunlight, the carefree, limb-swinging strolls in warm weather, the freedom to travel light wherever we go, with just a dress and some sandals. Oh, and of course, we miss watermelons!

But there is joy in Winter too! Chestnuts! Christmas! Sleeping in on rainy days! Monsieur Poirot marathons! And, as I have recently discovered.... Turmeric milk! I'd been hearing a lot about it on the web. I liked that it came from Indian culture and was called Haldi dooth and there were lots of charming stories of Indians moms being briskly ruthless in their application of the medicine to their sick offspring. So as soon as my son got the first sniffles this fall I started preparing this bright yellow, cheerful concoction and it has kept 2/3 of us safe from colds and flus so far. Ahem, yes, I like to be honest--my husband did suffer from an extended head cold but I like to think it's because he did not drink Enough turmeric milk.

Here's how you make it: mix one cup of milk (whole milk, or any fatty non dairy milk) with a teaspoon of ground turmeric and a pinch (or grind) of black pepper and bring it to a boil. Boil for a minute, watch it closely so it doesn't spill over, and then either drink straight or add a bit of honey if you're a wimp :)) Nah, that's cool dawgs, no judgement! For a while I was also pressing some fresh ginger into it but it was too much trouble in the end. Instead, I suppose you could add some ground ginger into the mix.

Then, enjoy the bright yellow color and the guaranteed health benefits! It's like drinking a cup of sunshine. Cheers!