Turmeric a tonic for indulgent times
Hear that? It’s the sound of a hundred corks popping — followed, maybe, by the faint whimper of overtaxed livers, or just overworked bar staff.
For the indulgent days of our lives, golden milk (or, turmeric lattés) can be especially restorative. With roots that stretch back to ancient India (there, it is called haldi doodh) the creamy, daffodilhued drink gets a kick from black pepper, ginger, cardamom and other warming spices, usually steeped in some kind of milk.
“It’s a recipe that’s been around for a really long time,” says Courtney Lee Hall, a certified herbalist. While turmeric is cited in some studies as an anti-inflammatory, the other spices give its key compound, curcumin, a strong assist. “It’s important that black pepper is added with turmeric root, as they have this synergistic relationship which helps the curcumin to be effective,” Hall said.
While Hall thinks golden milk can certainly do a body good, she has higher praise for another season-appropriate drink: Ginger-lemon tea with the unexpected addition of thyme. “Thyme is so underrated,” Hall said. Her assertion: “It has incredible antiseptic properties and is super-cleansing and uplifting for body.”
To make the tea, Hall suggests peeling and slicing a tablespoon-sized knob of ginger for every cup of water; bring to a boil, then turn down and simmer for 20 minutes — a process called decoction, as opposed to steeping.
“I add thyme for the last five minutes, and a squeeze of lemon,” Hall said, who uses a roughly 50-50 ratio of ginger to thyme and often makes four to six cups at a time. “It’s so easy to make, and delicious.”