The Immaculate Exception

Posted on December 10, 2019

A hot boozy oat milk tea. Warm flavors, earthy honey and rum, served hot in the kitschiest mug you own. The oat milk Christmas tea takes 5-10 minutes to make. Here’s how to make it (for two servings):

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. earthy rum (cachaca or agricole rhum)
• 9 oz. heated oat milk Christmas tea (buckwheat honey or wildflower honey, dates, vanilla, toasted pecans)
• Nutmeg to garnish

Begin by warming 9-or-so ounces of oat milk in a small pot or saucepan. You can certainly substitute almond or coconut milk. As it’s warming, toast a handful of pecans in a dry pan. When the oat milk is warm add the pecans, a good handful of halved dried dates, and a few drops of good vanilla extract (Nielsen-Massey brand if you have it). The more dates and pecans you add, the quicker the flavor will infuse. Give it five minutes, just shy of a simmer, to impart the flavor. Taste it and give it more if needed. You might also add other holiday spices (clove, allspice, cinnamon, juniper, even black or chai tea etc), but we like the clarity of fewer ingredients.

Next add 2 tablespoons of honey (1 per drink, more or less depending on how sweet you like it). Buckwheat Honey will definitely lend a unique flavor; Wildflower Honey for those without the acquired taste. 

Preheat a small mug by pouring hot water into it (then pour out the water before proceeding). Add the rum. Cachaca is a Brazilian style of rum made from sugar cane juice, and Agricole Rhum is a French recipe using the same technique. Both are significantly funkier and earthier than common rum made from molasses. Strain the oat milk tea into the mug. Grate a bit of fresh nutmeg over the top. Let your eyelids droop, warm your hands on the mug, and enjoy the best day of your life.

-MH