This hot tea combines ginger and black peppercorns for a slightly spicy drink that will warm you up. A recipe I learned from friends while living in Brazil, it is a non-alcoholic twist on the Quentão we used to drink there during the winter.
During one of the Julys we spent in Brazil, I helped a friend host a party for her English students and she made this tea. I know what you are thinking — hot tea in July? But remember, U.S. summer = Brazil winter, and where we were in the south, it did get pretty fall-like.
It is a non-alcoholic version of the warm wine drink, Quentão, that is enjoyed during Festas Juninas celebrations. This drink, often described as a mulled wine, was made in large volumes with very, um, affordable wine and often cachaça so it’s surprising that I liked it, but the spicy flavor of the fresh ginger won me over.
Since we were hosting a party for families, my friend removed the wine and made a version with water. You wouldn’t think the water would be that flavorful, but once you add some sugar, ginger and peppercorns it becomes such a delicious drink.
I’ve seen some versions with more spices like cinnamon, but this one is stripped down a bit allowing the spicy flavor of the ginger and black pepper to hit the back of the throat and linger. It warms the whole body, and while no miracle cure, it is soothing for a sore throat.
Tea is used in the loosest sense of the word here. It is tea as in a warm and soothing drink, not the tea leaf. There is no actual tea in it. In Brazil we used mascavo sugar as the sweetener, but this time around I used coconut sugar. Honey might work well, too, but it would offer a different flavor.
The more ginger you use and the longer this tea simmers, the stronger the flavor so don’t be afraid to add a few more slices and leave it on the stove while you do a few other things in the kitchen. And if you’d like to give the alcoholic version a try, instead of all water, use 6 cups of simple red table wine and 2 cups of the water.
- 1/2 cup peeled and sliced ginger root (about 5 oz. of ginger)
- 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar
- 8 cups water
- Place the ginger and peppercorns in a 3 to 4-quart pot. Add the sugar. Pour in the water and turn the heat to medium-high.
- Let the liquid come to a simmer, reduce the heat to low to maintain the simmer and partially cover. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes. The longer the tea simmers the spicier it will get.
- Pour the liquid through a mesh sieve to remove the ginger and peppercorns and discard them. Serve the tea hot.
