Stirring up Nostalgia series, part 3
It’s Beginning to… Smell? A Lot Like Christmas
The holiday season is upon us, and for many, the air is filled with the rich, comforting smells of clove-studded oranges, spiced gingerbread, and decadent chocolate-mint desserts. There’s a unique warmth in the flavours we associate with Christmas and other winter celebrations—whether they’re family traditions or cultural touchstones. From Europe’s cozy winter markets to North America’s bustling holiday kitchens, December is a time for indulgence, nostalgia, and yes, lots of delicious flavours.
But Christmas isn’t the only holiday celebrated this time of year. Whether you’re celebrating Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or simply embracing the winter solstice, each festivity has its own culinary flair, blending sweet, spicy, and earthy tastes that stir up memories of community, family, and warmth.
So, let’s take a sip of the season and explore some of the traditional flavours that bring December celebrations to life.
Incorporating Holiday Flavours into Your Cup of Tea
The holiday season brings with it a symphony of smells and flavours. Imagine turning these into a cup of tea—because with our Proper Cuppa Blending Kit, and a few extra ingredients from your pantry (or the bulk spice store near you), you can! Here are a few of my personal favourites; classic holiday flavours to inspire your next seasonal sip.
1. Clove-Studded Oranges
While I’ve never successfully created a clove-studded orange—sometimes known as pomander—somehow this combination of orange and clove is one of the most iconic holiday aromas (and visuals) in my British-ish concept of what Christmas can be. To recreate this warm, spicy aroma in a tea, try blending a black tea like Ceylon or Keemun (or both, of course) with freshly zested orange (I probably wouldn’t add milk in this case) or dried orange peel and a few whole cloves. The result? A bold and zesty brew with just the right amount of spice to settle in and re-watch Love Actually or Bridget Jones’ Diary (quoting all of your favourite lines).
2. Fruitcake
Okay bear with me here! Yes, fruitcake has its critics, but for those who appreciate it, the blend of dried fruits, spices, and nuts is a true holiday classic. Plus: its origins are ancient, and variations of this nut-and-dried-fruit cake are traditional across Europe and beyond. For a tea version, try mixing a few of your preferred dried fruits, such as dates, figs, currants (raisins) or candied citrus peel, with a few toasted nuts—maybe pecan or almonds—and some complementary warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. You can brew this concoction with a rich black tea base, or with a full-bodied herbal like rooibos or honeybush. If you want to go full hot toddy, in salute to my mother’s boozy fruitcake, add a splash of brandy… or whiskey!
3. Peppermint
During the holiday season, with all its big meals and decadent treats, I find that peppermint can play 3 very important roles: 1) It’s a great post-meal digestive aid, soothing your stomach and easing some of the… let’s call it discomfort… of over-indulging, 2) Its aroma—in my experience—can be both calming (aka relieve tension and headaches) and stimulating (aka provide an energy boost), and 3) It’s delicious and pairs with just about everything. Dried peppermint is easy to find in tea bags, and you can also find it as a loose herb, which is really easy to add to tea (start with 1 part mint to 3 parts tea and then adjust to your taste). Some great pairings, easy to incorporate into your teacup, include:
- Peppermint + Vanilla (there’s a vanilla tea in your Proper Cuppa Blending Kit!)
- Peppermint + Chocolate (it’s hard to make a good chocolate tea. Cocoa nibs help, as do cacao shells if you can find them. If you don’t have a good pre-blended chocolate tea at hand, add some peppermint and the tea of your choice to a hot chocolate mix)
- Peppermint + Lavender (yes those potent little petals in your Blending Kit!)
- Peppermint + Citrus (add a squeeze of lemon or orange to your minty green or black tea).
4. Spiced Cookies
The list of spiced cookies out there is endless. From cinnamon snickerdoodles, to my Oma’s pfeffernusse (little minty kibble-shaped hard cookies), to the quintessential holiday cookie, gingerbread. The same spices you find in your core childhood holiday cookie memory can easily be incorporated into your new favourite holiday cup of tea. Here’s a breakdown of some tasty spices to mix into your tea blend:
- Ginger: Fresh ginger can be chopped, sliced or grated and added to your tea for a strong, spicy, zesty flavour (I love to pair it with honey). Or you can use a dried, powdered ginger for a totally different, softer (but still adding its heat in the back of your throat) approach—more reminiscent of a gingerbread cookie.
- Cinnamon: Try steeping a cinnamon stick—intact as a stir-stick or crushed to draw out more flavour—or ground cinnamon to your dry tea mix.
- Nutmeg: This potent little seed is ideal to grate on top of your cuppa (and even prettier if you’re garnishing some foamed milk). The aroma is vibrant and I have found it comes out best this way—freshly grated—rather than trying to steep it out in hot water, even when ground (though if you’re making a chai or other spice blend with ground or crushed spices, nutmeg is an excellent addition).
- Cloves: Previously mentioned with oranges, cloves provide a vibrant note on their own or mixed with other spices. For best results, smash some whole cloves in a mortar (or crush them on a cutting board using the bottom of a heavy mug) just before adding them to your tea and brewing. Start with 2-3 cloves per cup of tea and adjust to your taste.
Beyond Christmas: Flavours of Other December Celebrations
December is a season of many holidays, and each brings its own unique tastes. Some traditions feature rich foods like fried dough, fruits and spices, while others incorporate homey, earthy flavours. We all have customs and rituals for the changing of the seasons, often tied to preserved and warming foods.
Whatever your family traditions, or if you’re starting new ones of your own, create your own winter or holiday celebration blend and celebrate the season your way!
The Power of a Blending Kit: Your Holiday, Your Rules
The beauty of tea blending is that you’re in complete control. Want just a hint of clove, or maybe a full-on gingerbread wonderland? With Proper Cuppa’s Tea Blending Kit, you can play, experiment and learn to customize your tea to suit your exact taste. It’s like curating your own holiday playlist—but for your taste buds.