Still recovering from too much last-minute gift shopping? Gazillions of dinner parties with long-lost cousins you hadn’t seen since last Christmas? Still stressed out? It’s the most wonderful time of the year, after all. Why not sweeten up your Holiday Spirit!

The traditions of fruit and spices in hot drinks

One popular winter tradition in many countries is to make hot mulled beverages to enjoy on cold nights. My wife is Korean and drinks Soo-Jung-Gua, a Korean Holiday drink with mulled ginger and cinnamon infused with persimmons.

As an American, I drink mulled apple cider. Mulling is a centuries-old practice of infusing various spices and fruits into heated wines, ciders, or brandies. The ingredients in a blend of mulling spices may vary, but cinnamon and various dried fruits are staples.

Worldwide appeal

Organic Cinnamon Plum characteristics

  • Velvety deep red infusion with rich plum aroma
  • Sweet and succulent taste of hibiscus, currants, and licorice root
  • Warm and soothing finish from cinnamon
  • Aside from being produced under strict Organic and Fair Trade Certification, 25% of the profits of Cinnamon Plum are donated to Clean Water Fund to help support their efforts of protecting and restoring America’s waters. It certainly helps make my holiday more palatable.

One of Rishi’s tea blenders and I were looking for a holiday-themed, seasonal, caffeine-free blend that everyone could enjoy no matter where they come from. We created Cinnamon Plum in September of 2007.

Our Organic Fair Trade herbal blend can be prepared like tea or used as a mulling spice. Cinnamon Plum is deliciously fruity and full-bodied with a deep red infusion. But the real fun comes when it’s used as a mulling spice to make mulled cider.

A new blend with ancient roots

Warm cinnamon and sweet cider mixing with the succulent hibiscus, currants, licorice root, and the rich aroma of plums make your entire house smell like a holiday party. In herbal medicine, cinnamon has a reputation as a cure for colds, weakness, mental fatigue, poor circulation, and problems of the digestive system.

Moses was commanded to use both sweet cinnamon and cassia in the holy anointing oil. The lover’s bed is perfumed with myrrh, aloe and cinnamon, says Proverbs. Licorice, a flavorful herb that has been used in food and medicinal remedies for thousands of years, has a reputation for treating the common cold, boosting the immune system, and detoxifying the liver. Ancient herbs and spices combined with succulent and sweet natural fruits make Cinnamon Plum a one-of-a- kind mulling spice blend.

Directions

To prepare as hot tea, use 1 tablespoon of Cinnamon Plum per 8 ounces of boiling water. Infuse for 5 minutes. For iced tea, simply pour over ice cubes. Feeling creative? Add 1 tablespoon of Cinnamon Plum per 8 ounces of cider, simmer for 10 minutes, strain and enjoy.

Other caffeine-free herbal infusion options from around the world