It smells like spring outside. Fragrant ume blossoms brighten the once bare branches of the plum trees. The bright pink and white flowers are a welcome bright contrast to the black bark. Their scent is so intoxicating and wonderful. I remember this time last year. We had spent a weekend out walking around enjoying the late February blossoms, having no idea that in a few days we would experience 3.11. In hindsight, I’m glad such a beautiful memory was made before such a sad one. The stark contrast of the two experiences reminds me of how quickly life changes. And how holding on to the memories of happy moments helps us cope when life seems grim.

The plum blossoms are blooming now in Tokyo, but there is still a bit of winter chill in the air. I’m still craving soups and warm drinks to keep me warm, but I’m looking for ways to add a little spring into my recipes. You may remember last week when I posted a recipe for ginger honey. Today’s recipe uses that honey to make a delicious, comforting mug of warm milk. There is a restaurant that we go to with Callie the dog (yes, they allow dogs inside the restaurant) and I almost always order this drink. It is called Ginger Honey Milk Tea…or something similar…and it is divine. The spicy ginger adds a welcome brightness to the honey and the creamy milk. There is nothing like it coupled with their house made crumpets.

I decided to add a little extra flavor with what will probably be the last yuzu of the season by adding the zest to the milk. You could just as easily use lemon or orange instead. There is no real “recipe” to post, but here’s the basic idea: simply put milk in a saucepan with the citrus zest and heat until steaming (don’t boil!) and add the honey. You can add extra raw ginger with the citrus zest for an extra kick, which I really like. Just pour the milk through a strainer into a mug, breath deeply, and enjoy. At the end of a long day, after Riley has gone to sleep, this ginger honey milk tea with yuzu is the perfect way to wind down. I just know you’ll love it.

These days, my happy memories are being filled with the little smiling face below. Babies have the amazing ability to show us pure joy in moments like these.

Two years ago, for our first Christmas in Tokyo, my thoughtful husband did everything he could to make me feel at home. I had a really difficult time not being in Minnesota with my family and he knew that I was struggling a bit. Fortunately, Christmas in Tokyo is just as festive as Minnesota, if not more so, minus the snow of course.  One of the things Brad got to keep me in the holiday spirit was a sampling of hot chocolate stir sticks.They were simply blocks of chocolate at the end of wooden sticks. I don’t know where I had been, but I had never seen these before and I was so excited to give them a try! They reminded me of an Argentine Submarino (Argentine hot chocolate) that we enjoyed in Buenos Aires a few years ago. It’s hard to find anything more fitting for hot milk than a big hunk of chocolate that slowly melts, creating a rich, comforting mug of wonderfulness.

Two years after the idea entered my mind, I finally got around to making my own hot chocolate stir sticks. I wanted to try some new flavors that I hadn’t seen before, so I used what I had in my pantry cabinet to add a little flare to the dark chocolate base for the sticks. One clear option was the addition of matcha powder to the chocolate. After all, what is Tokyo Terrace without a little Japanese twist, right? I also made an almond and pink sea salt stir stick, and another with warm, spicy cinnamon.

There are so many options for creative flavor combinations- you could even make the sticks a little bigger and add mini marshmallows if you wanted to! Crushed peppermint candy is another classic addition. These stir sticks also makes very nice Christmas or hostess gifts. All you need is an ice-cube tray, some chocolate chips, and perhaps something to dress them up- a ribbon to tie at the top of the stick, or a sprinkling of powdered sugar to make them look pretty. These are easy to make in large batches, so you can get a bunch of gifts taken care of easily!

Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks

Makes about 12-16 stir sticks

I’m providing the basic recipe for you below without the addition of other flavors. If you’d like to add your own creative twist to the basic recipe, it’s relatively simple. If you are using almond extract or peppermint extract, go with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for 4 cups of chocolate chips. If you are using something like cinnamon or other dried spices, add a little at a time and taste it to make sure it is acceptable for your palate. Keep in mind, however, that these will be slightly mellowed out in flavor when they are added to the hot milk. If you use sea salt, a sprinkling on the top of the chocolate is plenty for some, but if the salt is particularly mild, you may want to add a touch to the melted chocolate as well.

Ingredients:

4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

Materials:

Bamboo skewers or craft sticks

piping bag or ziplock

ice cube tray

Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. With the microwave on its lowest setting, microwave the chips for 30-45 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir. Continue doing this in about 30 second increments, stirring after each increment, until the chocolate chips are almost completely melted. There should still be a couple lumps left- just stir everything together and they should disappear. If they don’t, place the bowl back in the microwave for about 10 seconds. When the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the cocoa powder.

Let the chocolate sit for 3 or 4 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or ziplock. If you are using a ziplock, clip the bottom corner of the bag with scissors. Pipe the chocolate into your ice cube tray. Use a small spoon to smooth the top of the chocolate. Insert the stir sticks and allow to sit (at room temperature is best) until the chocolate sets. If you notice imperfections in the finished product, melt more chocolate (I like to make a creamy ganache by adding about a tablespoon of cream to 1 cup of chocolate chips) and dip the stir sticks to create a nice outer layer. Allow them to cool on wax or parchment paper. This is also a great time to add your garnishes- crushed peppermint, sea salt, etc. If you adding cinnamon or powdered sugar, the chocolate will need to be nearly cooled so that the powder doesn’t dissolve.

For the hot chocolate:

Heat 6 oz. of milk in a small saucepan or gently in the microwave. When the milk is hot (not boiling, just letting off a nice steam) transfer it to a mug. Stir with your hot chocolate stir stick until the chocolate has completely melted and sip away!

Life is full of unexpected surprises, both good and bad. This is a lesson I learn over and over again with each passing year. Sometimes I wish life would just remain calm for a little while- you know, no more big natural disasters would be a good start. But, for better or for worse, huge changes continue to happen all around me.

Pregnancy? Biggest and best change so far. In only 7 weeks, we will welcome the biggest change of our lives.

Unexpected surprises are often easy to miss. They don’t always take you by the shoulders and force you to pay attention. Today, for example, I was sitting in the living room when I heard the faint, distant bang of a drum. It did not immediately grab my attention until I heard the beating drum followed by the bright sound of a wooden whistle. Still, none of these things were particularly attention-grabbing and I could have easily ignored them and continued wasting time on Pinterest. But instead I grabbed my camera on the off-chance that something interesting might be outside my door. And today, walking those few steps out of the apartment prevented me from missing this…

Sometimes unexpected things happen to us. Other times we have to take the extra step(s) to notice.

After snapping a couple photos of the passing Mikoshi outside my door, I went back to the apartment where the scent of cinnamon and apples had filled the air. I love making food that permeates each room of the apartment with warm, delicious smells. I especially love it when the weather is cool and the smell of spices, baking chocolate, or simmering soup are like a big, cozy hug.

This apple spice syrup is easy to throw together and brings the fragrance of fall into the kitchen. It can be used in a similar way to the popular pumpkin syrups everyone loves to make this time of year. Apple spice lattes, apple spice hot chocolate, or apple spice tea are just a few of the creations you can put together when you have this syrup on hand. My sister requested that I post a recipe for a spiced syrup, so here you go, Rebecca! I hope you like it!

Apple Spice Syrup

Makes about 1 1/2-2 cups

*Note: this syrup is quite sweet using the recipe below. If you don’t want it to be as sweet, cut back on the sugar but don’t expect a very syrup-like texture. I’ve also included the option of using honey instead of sugar, which will also create a less thick final product, but the flavor is very nice.

1 cup apple cider (you can use juice if you don’t have cider, but I’d recommend the cider)

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar or 3/4 cup honey

1/2 of a large apple, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup) – granny smith is best, or another tart variety

4 cinnamon sticks

4 cloves

1/4 teaspoon dried ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine the cider/juice, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer, turning the heat down to medium, for about 10 minutes. Strain the syrup into a bowl to cool. Transfer to a glass jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator.

Well, we have traveled from Tokyo to Seattle to Salt Lake City and finally to Denver, Colorado where we will be spending Christmas with my husband’s family. The jet lag has subsided (mostly) and we have been frantically shopping, wrapping, and soaking in our short time together. All is going as expected, aside from the fact that Denver is not the winter wonderland we were hoping for. Apparently all the snow is stuck elsewhere. Bummer. It’s funny because the mountains are within view and everyday we have seen the low clouds that are dumping huge amounts of the white stuff just 20 minutes away. It’s so close I can practically feel the sweet snow flakes melting on my tongue. I guess we’ll have to wait until we travel to Minnesota to experience the bright white beauty of winter. Still, the Christmas spirit has managed to wrap us in its warmth and wonder, just like it did last year.

While we pray for snow, we are sipping away on mulled wine. I made a recipe for mulled wine with Japanese citrus (yuzu and mikan) when we were still in Tokyo. The flavors are deep from the spices, bright from the citrus, and warming from the heat. And the recipe will be appearing in the Daily Yomiuri newspaper  on Christmas Eve! If you can’t find yuzu or mikan, substitute them with 1 lemon and 1 clementine. You’ll get a very similar effect.

Merry Christmas, everyone! I hope you are enjoying the holidays no matter where in world you find yourself. Cheers!

Mulled Wine with Japanese Citrus

Serves 4-6

1 (750 mL) bottle red wine, like a fruity Cabernet Sauvignon or a peppery Zinfandel
¼ cup Japanese Whiskey or Brandy
6 whole cloves (or 1 teaspoon ground cloves)
4 black peppercorns (or ½ teaspoon ground black pepper)
3 cinnamon sticks (or 2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon), plus extra for garnish
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled
2 fresh yuzu, peeled and juiced (peel and juice reserved, seeds discarded)
1 mikan, peeled and juiced (peel and juice reserved, seeds discarded)
⅓ cup honey, plus extra to taste
*Note: If you use ground spiced, seal them in a coffee filter so the grounds don’t float around in the wine.

Begin by wrapping the cinnamon, peppercorns, cloves, ginger, and citrus peels in cheesecloth or a coffee filter. Tie the satchel closed and place in a large pot. Add the wine, whiskey, citrus juices and honey. Place the pot over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil! (If it boils, the flavor of the wine will change too drastically.) Keep an eye on the mulled wine as it cooks, stirring often to ensure the honey dissolves completely. Watch for steam to start rising off of the wine to signal that it is ready to serve. *Tip: To keep the mulled wine warm longer, pour hot water into the glasses you are going to use to serve the wine. Just before adding the mulled wine, pour out the water and add the wine.

One of the perks of being a teacher is being able to indulge in a full week of wonderful, relaxing vacation time in March/April. Spring break has usually meant a road trip with my family from chilly Minnesota to a much warmer Tennessee. The memories I carry with me of those road trips are some of the best that I possess. My sister and I have so many great inside jokes from hours of sitting in the back seat together. We’d laugh until we cried. Then, inevitably, I’d fall asleep for a few hours while my sister waited impatiently for me to wake up and play again. To this day I have no problem falling asleep in moving vehicles. It’s awesome.

Spring break for many of my friends growing up meant going to Florida or other exotic locations where they could play on the beach, go to Disney World, and have plenty of exciting stories and pictures to share upon returning to school. I can’t say that I didn’t feel a little jealous at times, but looking back I wouldn’t trade places with them for anything. Even though my grandpa Smith used to wake us up at 4:30am banging pots and pans around in the kitchen as he prepared to make gravy and biscuits. They were always cold by the time my sister and I crawled out of bed because he made them so early, but they were still delicious.

For the past two years, we have spent spring break with the high school choir at our school. Last year, it was Oklahoma and Texas (yeehaw!) and this year, to my immense pleasure and excitement, was Honolulu, Hawaii! For 5 full days, we enjoyed the beautiful ocean air and warming sun at Waikiki Beach. Time went by too quickly, of course, and there are a million things I did not get to see that I wish I had. However, I’d say our trip was pretty amazing.

We indulged in a little shopping, eating, lounging on the beach, and having a great time with a great group of kids. Yes, we “gave up” what could have been a vacation that was totally free of responsibility to have a week of chaperoning. But trust me when I say that it was totally worth it. Even though I now need a vacation from my vacation…

While we were in Honolulu, I made a couple visits to Island Vintage Coffee and became totally addicted to their Hawaiian Honey Latte. Oh man is it good! Honey, cinnamon, and Kona coffee come together to make a unique coffee beverage with the gentle sweetness of honey. I actually intensely dislike sugar in my coffee, but honey has a completely different flavor that doesn’t take away from the natural taste of the coffee itself.

Almost that very same day, I discovered the Honolulu Cookie Company. Their shortbread cookies are made on the island of Honolulu and include tantalizing, tropical flavors like macademia nut dipped in chocolate, Kona coffee, pineapple, and liliki (Passion Fruit.) If you don’t happen to be going to Honolulu any time soon, you can order the cookies here. Just whip up my version of the Hawaiian Honey Latte, close your eyes and you’ll feel like you are sitting on a balcony in the early morning looking over the Pacific Ocean…

This recipe is a variation of what Brad and I have every morning. I know, seems like we are adding a lot of extra work making lattes every morning. Trust me when I say that it really is simple. It’s all about the coffee itself and the coffee maker. I’ve tried a number of coffee makers and the Bialetti Espresso Maker is my all-time favorite. We use a hand held frother that works just great. It might not be as fancy as a Starbuck’s latte, but we love it!

Hawaiian Honey Latte

makes 2 servings

1 cup milk

4 shots brewed espresso or strong coffee (if you can find Kona coffee, use it- it’s more authentic!)

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon cinnamon plus extra for dusting

In an espresso or coffee maker, add the grinds and the teaspoon of cinnamon. Brew as directed for your coffee maker.

Meanwhile, heat the milk in a sauce pan over low heat until it begins to steam but not boil. Pour equal amounts of milk into two mugs. Add 1 tablespoon of honey to each mug and stir into the milk until it has dissolved. Use a hand-held frother to create a nice layer of creamy foam. Carefully pour the brewed coffee into each mug. Dust with extra cinnamon and serve immediately.

I am so excited about this post. Our guest today is Rebecca, my brilliant, talented and ridiculously creative sister. She is enduring the bitter cold in Minnesota right now and I can speak from personal experience to the effectiveness of this cocktail in warming body and soul. Her “letter” to me, made up of charming drawings done by Rebecca herself, includes her recipe for Hot Buttered Rum. I only wish they sold it in a can in the vending machines around Tokyo…

Thank you, Rebecca, for guest posting and I hope you will do it again soon! Cheers!

Hot Buttered Rum
Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups apple cider
2 cups dark rum
2 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon honey

Pour the water, cider and rum into a kettle or saucepan and bring to a boil.

While your brew is brewing, combine the butter, vanilla extract and honey in a small bowl.

Divide brew and butter into 4 pretty cups or mugs. Add a cinnamon stick and serve.

It’s time for another cocktail! I know- we haven’t seen much in the form of solid food on Tokyo Terrace for quite a while. But trust me, more will be coming in the next few days and the wait will be worth it! For the record, this will be cocktail #13. Yep. 13 cocktails in a row.

Did you ever put a candy cane in your hot chocolate when you were a kid? I still like to use a candy cane stir stick in my hot chocolate to get a refreshing peppermint flavor with the rich, warm chocolate. If you want an adult version of peppermint hot chocolate, you have come to the right place! This warming and festive beverage is one that I never miss out on when the holidays are near. Made in Princeton, MN, Phillips Peppermint Schnapps came to be when Al Dorsch, a Phillips salesman, found Minneapolis bar-goers putting peppermints into their whiskey (a little odd if you ask me- but us Minnesotans can be a little kooky at times!) Al then decided to make a liqueur that showcased the flavor of peppermint, which we now know as Peppermint Schnapps.

I love that story, not just because it is on the back of the bottle, but because I can imagine with much clarity those cold Minnesotans sitting at the bar needing something to knock off the chill. Clearly, peppermints in whiskey are the answer, right?

So, from that 1935 discovery by Mr. Dorsch, the modern trend (at least in MN) is to drop a little shot of schnapps into creamy, rich hot chocolate. Wrap your hands around a mug of minty, chocolatey deliciousness this Christmas and become a Minnesotan for a night. Trust me, you’ll love it! I love it so much that I brought my own bottle back to Tokyo from Minnesota last week. Merry Christmas to me!

The hot chocolate is best enjoyed while listening to the album Ella Wishes you a Swinging Christmas by Ella Fitzgerald. Happy Holidays everyone!

Hot Chocolate with Peppermint Schnapps
Makes 1 serving

2 oz. good dark chocolate, grated with a microplane
1 cup milk (I recommend using 2%)
1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 oz peppermint schnapps
Whipped cream
crushed peppermint candy

Heat the milk in a sauce pan over low heat. When the milk is warm, add the chocolate and vanilla extract. Stir or whisk if needed until the chocolate is completely melted. Pour the schnapps into a mug. Pour the hot chocolate from the saucepan into the mug and stir with the schnapps. Top with whipped cream and crushed candy.

With cold weather making its way to many locations around the world, I thought today’s post should be warm and comforting like a big soft scarf on a chilly day in early winter (yes, I said it- WINTER.)

Today’s Cocktail Friday post is actually not a cocktail at all. I decided that it was acceptable to post a drink sans alcohol today because, let’s be honest, everyone needs a break sometimes. This delicious treat is from a blog that I visit regularly. The posts are well done, as are the recipes. When I saw their recipe for homemade Chai tea, I knew I had to try it. I’m so happy I did.

Talley from Houseboat Eats posted the recipe for this spicy, slightly sweet and super comforting Chai tea a while back and it is well worth the effort to make. The ingredients are somewhat flexible (I replaced the dried orange peel with a dried kaffir lime leaf- unusual but extremely delicious) allowing you to control the spicy factor. An extra bonus is the amazing aroma that fills your kitchen from the wonderful combination of spices. If you aren’t in the holiday spirit yet, this will certainly help you get there! Please visit Houseboat Eats for the recipe.