My Favorite Two (2) Fruit Teas: Cranberry and Black Cherry

According to available information, tea was discovered accidentally. It seems that some guy in China was preparing a meal and had a pot of water boiling. It was a windy day, and leaves were blown into the pot of hot water. To the cook’s surprise, the water turned into an amazing drink. That’s how brewing tea began.

The versions of this story or legend vary, but it sounds believable to me. Weren’t many of the wonderful things we enjoy in life discovered accidentally?  Everybody knows tea is delicious and has great medicinal value. I want to talk about two of my favorite fruit-flavored teas: cranberry and black cherry.

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Why cranberry tea?

A nurse once told me cranberry juice would restore the vitamins and minerals I had lost during childbirth. So I thought to myself: ‘If cranberry juice is good, cranberry tea is probably good too.’ Cranberry tea has lots of minerals and Vitamins C, K, and E. There are numerous health benefits, but what I mainly like about it is that it is good for weight loss. It helps burn fat and flushes toxins out of your body. It is considered a detox tea.

Why black cherry tea?

Black cherry juice and black cherry tea are in high demand. I discovered the health benefits accidentally. My late husband had a problem with his big toe. Turns out that it was gout, and eating black cherries helped. Cherry juice is kind of expensive. But the tea is reasonably priced. Cherry tea helps reduce inflammation, eases muscle pain, and decreases pain from gout, arthritis, and headaches. Maybe this is why a lot of medicine comes in cherry flavor. You think? Black cherry tea is also used for detoxification.

Thanks for reading.

Ever Pair a Drink With a Cozy Mystery Book? Make It a Holiday Tradition!

Hi, blog readers and visitors!  I'm pairing this blog post with a post from my entertainment blog titled Books: Reading List: Five (5) Popular Cozy Mysteries Published 2020 and Beyond!

Here are festive, cozy drink pairings for each book — “Sip While You Sleuth”. Have fun! 🍵📚

(AI art using CoPilot)

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🎄 The Mistletoe Mystery — Nita Prose

Drink Pairing: Classic Hot Chocolate with Peppermint

Sweet, comforting, and a little nostalgic—just like Molly Gray herself. The peppermint adds a gentle holiday twist without overpowering the cozy calm of the story.

Optional Garnish: Whipped cream + crushed candy cane
Mocktail-Friendly: Already perfect as is!

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🧶 It Came Upon a Midnight Shear — Allie Pleiter

Drink Pairing: Mulled Apple Cider

Warm spices, apples, and a hint of citrus mirror the small-town charm and crafty atmosphere of a knitting shop during the holidays.

Spice Tip: Cinnamon sticks, cloves, and orange slices

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🎅 Rest Ye Murdered Gentlemen — Vicki Delany

Drink Pairing: Eggnog (Classic or Dairy-Free)

A town that celebrates Christmas year-round deserves the most iconic holiday drink of all. Rich, indulgent, and unapologetically festive.

Flavor Boost: Nutmeg + vanilla
Lighter Option: Almond-milk eggnog with cinnamon

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📚 The Thursday Murder Club — Richard Osman

Drink Pairing: English Breakfast Tea with Milk & Honey

Comforting, traditional, and best enjoyed slowly—just like the clever conversations and gentle humor among the Thursday Murder Club members.

Upgrade Idea: Serve with shortbread or a biscotti
Evening Swap: Earl Grey or chamomile for late-night reading

Here’s a simple, comforting recipe.

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🍵 Ingredients

• 1 English Breakfast tea bag (or 1 teaspoon loose-leaf tea)
• 1 cup freshly boiled water
• 2–3 teaspoons milk (whole, oat, or your preferred type)
• 1–2 teaspoons honey (adjust to taste)

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🫖 Instructions

1. Boil water: Bring fresh water to a rolling boil.
2. Steep tea: Place the tea bag (or loose tea in an infuser) in a mug. Pour hot water over it and steep for 3–5 minutes, depending on how strong you like it.
3. Add milk: Remove the tea bag/infuser, then stir in milk.
4. Sweeten: Add honey and stir until dissolved.
5. Serve: Enjoy hot, optionally garnished with a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra warmth.

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✨ Tips

• Use whole milk for a richer taste, or oat milk for a nutty, dairy-free option.
• Adjust steeping time: shorter for a lighter cup, longer for a stronger brew.
• A dash of vanilla extract can add a cozy twist. 

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🕯️ Blackmail and Bibingka — Mia P. Manansala

Drink Pairing: Hot Coconut Latte* OR Ginger Tea

Coconut and ginger complement the Filipino holiday flavors featured in the story and pair beautifully with bibingka-inspired notes.

Fun Twist: Add a pinch of cinnamon or toasted coconut flakes
Non-Coffee Option: Ginger tea with honey and lemon

*To make it more festive, make a peppermint-coconut latte variation.  You will combine strong coffee or espresso with a heated and frothed mixture of full-fat canned coconut milk, peppermint extract, and your choice of sweetener.  Here’s a cozy, dairy-free–friendly Hot Peppermint-Coconut “Latte” — festive, comforting, and perfect for sipping while reading a holiday mystery ☕🌴🎄

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Hot Peppermint-Coconut Latte

Serves: 1
Time: 5–7 minutes

Ingredients

• ¾ cup coconut milk (full-fat for extra creaminess, or light if preferred)

• ¼ cup strong brewed coffee or espresso
  (for caffeine-free: substitute strong peppermint tea)

• ¼ tsp peppermint extract
  (start small — peppermint is powerful!)

• 1–2 tsp maple syrup, honey, or sugar (to taste)

• Pinch of salt (optional, but enhances flavor)

• Optional: pinch of vanilla extract

Toppings (Optional but Fun!)

• Whipped coconut cream

• Crushed peppermint candy or candy-cane dust

• Toasted coconut flakes

• Dark chocolate shavings

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Instructions

1. Heat the coconut milk in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming (do not boil).

2. Whisk in sweetener, peppermint extract, vanilla (if using), and salt.

3. Brew coffee or espresso and pour it into your favorite mug.

4. Add the hot coconut milk mixture to the coffee.

5. Froth or whisk for extra foam, if desired.

6. Top and serve immediately — preferably with a cozy book and blanket.

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Flavor Variations

• Chocolate Peppermint Coconut Latte: Add 1 tsp cocoa powder or chocolate syrup while heating the milk.

• Extra Festive: Add a tiny pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg.

• No Coffee Version: Use hot peppermint tea or hot water instead of coffee. 

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 ☕🔍✨

Food and Drink History Lesson : English Tea (Guest Post)

Tea in England

Author: AnutaVasil

The English primarily drank coffee and wine as their staple drink, and tea was unknown in England till as late as 1662. In 1662 Charles II married Catherine of Braganza of Portugal, and it was his new bride who brought with her a preference of tea. She served tea instead of wine, ale and spirit. Tea soon acquired the status of royal drink and a social nicety for the rich.

However, tea's acceptance by British masses was quite slow. It was in late 1700 that tea's popularity picked up. As tea came from British colonies, it came to be viewed as a national drink, with patriotic sentiments attached to it. Another reason which contributed to its popularity was the ease of its preparation technique. While coffee grounds could be brewed only once, and reusing the same ground yielded a much inferior flavour, tea leaves could be brewed several times without any significant drop in the quality of liquor. As tea was a high class drink and hence expensive, the British masses bought second hand, brewed leaves and brewed them longer to compensate. Tea was thus gradually finding place in British everyday life.

Soon, tea began to be sold in London coffee houses. Tea was heavily advertised as a medicinal drink which helped maintain health and beauty. The coffee house owners charged heavily for a cup of tea, as much as 6-10 pounds per cup. The government soon imposed various taxes, regulations and restrictions on sale of tea, with a view to cash in on the growing tea trend. This even led to tea being smuggled into England. Finally the taxes were waived off to stop this illegal smuggling.

Tea, meanwhile, continued to grow in popularity. Around 1800, there developed an "Afternoon tea" culture, wherein rich ladies invited their friends for a cup of tea in the afternoon. They also served pastries, sandwiches or some snacks along with it. It was accompanied by social graces, refined conversation, sweet gossip and polished etiquette. Yet another popular tea trend was serving tea in tea gardens. Pleasure gardens like Vauxhall or Ranelagh Gardens provided lush lawns for public to stroll and enjoy a hot cup of tea. The working class, however, took a break from work in the evening, and relaxed with tea.

The most well-liked and sought-after teas were English breakfast tea and Earl Grey. English breakfast tea, as its name suggests, was consumed mostly in the morning, as its strong caffeine helped shake off sleepiness and start the morning energetically. It blended sumptuously with milk and sugar, and could be enjoyed any time of the day. The Earl Grey provided a classic blend of fine black tea with bergamot essence. It was considered a more sophisticated tea.

In 1875, Thomas Lipton aggressively advertised tea. He replaced the coffee gardens in Ceylon with tea plantations and opened his first tea shop. By the end of 1the 9th century, he had almost set up his Tea Empire and laid the foundations of the modern tea trade. The Indian and Ceylon blends, Brooke Bond and Lipton, found a firm place in British everyday life. Tea had finally "arrived" in England.

About the Content Provider
History of Tea and Tea Shops

Article made available for republication via: articlesbase.com

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