Took us a while but we got there in the end. Introducing our Turmeric Latte Mix to our store.
I first tried Turmeric Latte some years ago and absolutely loved it. I recall I was sitting in a coffee shop waiting for a friend to arrive and I thought I would start by having this very unfamiliar drink called a “Turmeric Latte”. I also remember asking the waiter for a regular latte as a “chaser”. I like to try different things and thought whilst I’m waiting for this chick to show up let’s indulge oneself and try something new.
The Turmeric Latte arrived in front of me, and I was left staring at this bright yellow concoction. Well strike me pink! This drink was sensational! It was creamy, it had a slightly weird hit of a spicy kick, it was earthy and yet had this hint of sweetness to it. Yep, I was hooked. I still had my regular latte chaser because it would be a crime to let a good cup of coffee go to waste, right?
Winter has hit Melbourne hard this year. It is cold. Icy cold and after like my tenth cup of coffee for the day I wanted another hot drink, but coffee wasn’t what I was craving. I wanted something else. I decided to try my hand at making my own Turmeric Latte Mix. There are heaps of recipes out there available but each recipe I encountered had different amounts or different ratios and the tastes were all ok, but I wanted to make this how I liked it.
Most versions of Turmeric Latte Mix are made using ground turmeric, ground ginger, ground cinnamon, ground cardamom, ground cloves and black pepper. Traditionally, it was just turmeric with warm milk but us Westerners had to “glam” it up a bit (not that I am complaining, contraire, quite the opposite!) Our version consists of the exact same ingredients except I wanted to freshly grind my spices, so I ordered dried turmeric pieces and milled them to a fine consistency and then I used whole cloves, whole black peppercorns, whole cinnamon and whole cardamoms and milled them as well. I was and I am really happy with the outcome and the taste is sensational.
Interesting to note, we add black pepper as the active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin and this active ingredient is not easily absorbed by the body on its own. By adding black pepper, it aides the absorption.
Let’s delve deeper in Turmeric Latte as I wanted to know more. Turmeric Latte is also referred to as Golden Milk and Haldi Doodh (Hindi) and Palile Manjal (Tamil).Turmeric Latte has become extremely popular and is available in most trendy/hipster cafes and you can also find mixes available in major supermarkets, speciality grocery stores, along with health food stores.
Turmeric Latte is a drink with a whole lotta of history behind it. It has been part of Indian culture for centuries. Us Westerners have only just discovered this gorgeous drink only in the last decade.
Turmeric, as in the actual common everyday spice, is from the same family as ginger. Turmeric is cultivated in several states in India and India accounts for more than 75% of the worlds production. India is also the largest exporter and consumer of this spice. It’s safe to say that Turmeric is “native” to India. Turmeric gets its bright yellow colour and its health benefits from a chemical component called curcumin.
Turmeric’s main use in India is as a colouring agent in traditional cooking especially so in their curries and gravies. It is an ingredient with minimal flavour or taste. It’s also used in many Hindu ceremonies and festive occasions like weddings (as a marker for fertility and prosperity). The pre-wedding ceremony called a Haldi involves family elders applying turmeric paste on the bride and groom-to-be’s faces. A taali or a mangalsutrais a thread which is tied around the bride’s neck by her groom to formalize their wedding. This thick thread is dipped in turmeric water. Turmeric is as sacred as an olive tree is to the Greeks!
There has been some “early research” into Turmeric Latte some medical professionals have supported the benefits of turmeric latte, but further studies need to be done. Indians consider Turmeric as a liquid panacea (medicine) and it is used extensively in Indian culture for many, many things such as boosting the immune system and warding off colds, a herbal antibiotic, an immune system booster just to mention a few. Turmeric has been used in Ayurveda (traditional Hindu medicine) for centuries.
With Zoitsa Homely Produce’s – Turmeric Latte Mix I opted for two versions, one already sweetened using coconut sugar and another unsweetened with no added sweeteners/sugars. (Do be mindful when placing your order that you add the correct one into your shopping cart!)
Does it need to be sweetened? For me I like it either way. My choice of how I have it all depends on my mood. There are times when I add coconut sugar and other times when I don’t. I like to sweeten it with agave syrup or honey or rice malt sugar. Again, all depending on my mood.
The beauty of Turmeric Latte is that there are heaps of health benefits that go along with this beautiful drink. For me it’s a warm and cosy pick me up rather than a panacea. It’s an immune-boosting, soothing, caffeine -free hot drink that sits perfectly with our Melbourne winters.
Our Turmeric Latte Mix works well and has been trialled using regular cow’s milk, fresh hemp milk (NOT UHT), almond milk and oat milk. Milk makes this latte mix much easier to digest and it is believed that cow’s milk provides the correct amount of fats and proteins to ensure that the turmeric is absorbed better by the body when served with warm milk.
There is still some debate as to whether it’s better to heat the spices with the milk or to add the spices to a warm cup of milk. I do it either way and its horses for courses.
So, if you’ve tried Zoitsa Homely Produce’s Hot Chocolate Mix, and you’ve tried our Iced Coffee Syrup, then come on and try our Turmeric Latte Mix. I know you are going to love it! Available now in two variants – sweetened and unsweetened and available at our online store!
कृपया भोजन का आनंद लीजिये!/kripyā bhojan kā ānnaṅd lijīyai/ Please Enjoy your meal/Bon Appetit
Irene
