East meets west in this Warm Autumn Golden Milk Cocktail, as it is made with coconut milk, fresh turmeric root, spices and an anise flavored liqueur.
Golden Milk Might Just Be The New Lemon Water!
What Is Golden Milk?
Turmeric milk, or golden milk as it is often called, finds its ancient roots in Ayurveda practices; a natural approach to medicine or preventative health practices.
Golden milk, or tea as it is also known, is believed to have anti-inflammatory properties from the turmeric root.
Plant milk, preferably coconut or almond, with fresh turmeric root (also preferably), simmered to extract the incredibly rich health properties from the turmeric, makes for this quick and healthy golden milk drink.
Turmeric For Health
If ever there was an uglier root (which to me looks like grubs), with more beautiful health benefits, I have not yet encountered it!
While turmeric does belong to the ginger family and has a specific bite of its own in flavor, the health benefits far exceed its cousin.
It is said to be the most effective nutritional supplement in existence, so why not make a healthyish cocktail out of it!
Turmeric and Coconut Milk Golden Milk
Turmeric is known for being fat soluble, which means its health properties become most effective when taken with something fatty.
For this reason I have chosen to use coconut milk instead of animal milk, though full fat dairy milk is a good option.
This bright orange root, naturally aids in lowering levels of inflammation in the body, so does coconut milk.
Besides, the flavors of turmeric and coconut are really delicious together.
Golden Milk For Health
While living in Brazil, is was a daily occurrence to stop at any number of corner-street venders with a little cart loaded with fresh coconuts.
They would hack off the top, put a straw into the coconut and always hand you the sharp piece they hacked off, to scoop out the white pulp after drinking the coconut water.
Both the coconut water and the fatty white pulp are loaded with flavor, health benefits.
My dear Chinese friend, who also happens to be a long time practicing urologist and holistic health research doctor, swears by coconut.
He says to ingest it daily as well as use its oil internally for women’s private parts.
Today, I am mostly interested in telling you about this fabulous cocktail I created, though I do intend to revisit more information on the topic above.
Adding Flavor To Golden Milk
While turmeric and coconut milk have a flavor all their own, this drink has an added and unique flavor; fennel or anise.
Several liqueurs make a fennel and anise flavored drink, but suppose you don’t want a liqueur in this warm drink.
It is easy to infuse the flavor of fennel or anise, simply by allowing fennel pollen or anise seeds to steep in the milk, while warming.
If you grow fennel, there are easy ways to extract the intense natural flavor.
Warm Autumn Cocktails
Cocktails are most often thought of to be cold, refreshing and served with ice.
But when autumn and winter arrives and the chill sets into our bones, who wants to sip on ice!
A warm cocktail is truly a slow sip and really does allow our tastebuds to enjoy more of the flavor of the cocktail than when that same drink might be served cold.
The Mediterranean liqueur, Arak and Ouzo, are a clear anise flavored liquor.
When a little water is added to either, they turn this milky white, which only adds to the creamy texture of the already creamy coconut milk.
Mocktails Instead Of Cocktails?
‘Mocktails’ are a great way to include everyone in sipping something special you have made for yourself.
A mocktail can also be made by simmering anise seeds or fennel pollen, in the milk and turmeric, let it steep a moment, strain and serve.
The flavor will be there, just not the booze!
Turmeric Root Autumn Cocktail
These days, turmeric root is about as easy to find in a grocery store as ginger roots.
I can’t stress enough the importance of using the real turmeric root and not the powder, especially if you are in want of its health benefits.
Finding turmeric root in the store, inspires recipes for me.
When I bring them home, I will peel, chop and freeze them right away.
This way I have as fresh as possible when I need it.
Often when herbs and spices have been dried, many of the natural oils, or health properties have been lost even though the flavor often intensifies.
You can see the distinct difference in color when looking at fresh turmeric root, frozen or dried.
Autumn Picnics and Gatherings
It was a sunny November day when I created this cocktail. It was 70 degrees yesterday and 48 today!
Leaves have been falling. An evening fire in the fireplace has been in place for a month. Friends were stopping over for a visit and I wanted to serve them something different.
Everyone loved the refreshing flavor of anise in the liqueur.
The warmth of the hot milk and the assurance that the turmeric was doing more good for them than any harm the alcohol might be doing.
We All Liked That!
How To Make Warm Autumn Golden Milk Cocktail
Empty the required amount of coconut milk into a sauce pan. Peel and rough chop a small piece of turmeric root. Bring to a low boil, turn down to a subtle simmer and let it simmer for 5-minutes with a lid on.
Turn off the stove, add honey (or your preferred sweetener), stirring to dissolve the honey into the milk.
Transfer to a thermos to keep warm or serve immediately.
Pour the anise liquor into the cup first, and top it off with the warm, sweet turmeric milk.
If making a mocktail, place 1/4 teaspoon of anise seeds or Fennel Pollen into the milk when simmering. Follow the same as above, leaving out the liquor when serving.
This cocktail is also scrumptious served cold, but we will revisit that when summer returns!
Other Warm Cocktails and Mocktails To Love
In the dead of summer, the last thing we are thinking about, is a warm drink, even though we still enjoy or Tea or Coffee.
However, as soon as the days grow shorter and cooler, we want fire, Pumpkin Pie, Baked Apples and warm drinks.
So here are just a few of my favorites.
- Bourbon Chai Tea Latte Cocktail – with chai spices, bourbon and black tea with milk of choice.
- Vintage Cooked Egg Eggnog – a deconstructed ‘cooked’ egg, eggnog; yolks cooked in cream, whites become meringues.
- REAL Old Fashion Hot Chocolate – with real cacao, real sugar, real milk (of choice), simmered into a Real hot chocolate sip!
Ingredients Needed
- Coconut Milk
- Turmeric root
- Honey
- Arak or Ouzo or other anise flavored liqueur
- Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg
Equipment Needed
- Shot glass
- Small sauce pan
- Measuring cup
- Measuring spoons
- Whisk
- Stovetop or burner
- Heat proof serving cups or glass – my favorite Turkish cups
Warm Autumn Golden Milk Cocktail
Equipment
- Small saucepan
- 2 Heat proof cups or glasses
Ingredients
- 2 cups Coconut milk or almond milk
- 1 inch Turmeric root
- 2 tsp Honey or agave
- 2 shots Arak or Ouzo roughly 1/4 cup
- 1 pinch Cinnamon, Cloves and Nutmeg each
Instructions
- Place the coconut milk and spices into a saucepan. Peel and rough chop the turmeric root and add that to the milk.
- Bring to a low boil, turn down to a slow simmer, lid on and let it simmer for 5-minutes.
- Turn off the milk, whisk in the honey until a frothy foam appears on top.
- Pour 1-shot of Arak into each cup. Pour the frothy milk on top and serve.
Video
Notes
I believe the table... that place that draws people to gather, is the most powerful symbol of togetherness. All that happens before the table is set, the planning, the gathering, the preparing, are all an intricate part of the dance that create the mood of celebration to share with friends and loved ones.