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Friday 6 March 2015

Builders tea with a cinnamon stick




I love tea, and I drink far too much of it. You just can't beat a good cup of strong-but-milky builders tea. Miggins next door is always telling me off for making hers too strong ... "Just show it the tea bag gal, don't stew it for gawd sake!" So when a friend of mine (who is of Greek origin) recently told me to go ahead and drop half a stick of cinnamon into my tea, I told her she'd lost her tiny mind. She insisted it's very popular in Greece and said people also like to add cloves to the mix! So I humoured her, and dropped half a stick into my tea - well oh my days, it transformed my plain ole cup of tea ... it was like trying on silky pants after years of old scratchy cotton briefs! I'm not sure there's any turning back now. Not only does it give tea a sweet exotic kick, cinnamon also has fantastic health benefits. It can lower bad cholesterol and blood sugar levels, it has anti fungal, anti clotting properties, and can reduce the proliferation of leukaemia and lymphoma cancer cells, and it can also eliminate headaches and migraines. But before you start chomping into it like a mars bar be aware it is toxic in large doses, but 'a little a day will keep the doctor away' - according to Miggins.

JM x



6 comments:

  1. Yummy! Do you drop the stick in while steeping, and then add your milk? Thank you for sharing this.

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    1. I think you can do Either Kim! though I just pop it in after. Enjoy :-)

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  2. I love tea, too! Drink it every day with a bit of cream and some honey or sugar. Please forgive me for asking but what is a builder's tea? :( And with the cinnamon stick do you use a new one every time or reuse the same one? Leave it in your teacup according to taste preference or for the whole time you're drinking it? Inquiring minds must know! LOL!

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    1. Hi Karen! 'Builders' tea is regular mug of black tea with milk added (with out without sugar). That's how the majority of Brits like their tea, and it's how a lot of construction workers see to like their tea so the name seem to stick over here. I leave my stick in for the whole cuppa. Once you try it you might find it too strong so you could just put a quarter in. You should be able to use a stick 4 to 4 times before the flavour becomes impaired. Hope that helps! x

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  3. Perfect! Thanks, Jodie! Must try this morning.. I have an Indian friend and she makes black tea with cardamom and ginger and milk and sugar. It's very yummy!

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  4. I'd have never thought to give cinnamon in tea a go, but I'm sold now -- it looks so tasty! 110% sure I'm going to pop a stick into my next cup.

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