Chrysanthemum Tea

This maybe the easiest recipe that I have ever posted, but it is too good not to be shared with you. I grew up drinking this tea. My mom always made it for my sister and I during hot summer days. When we came home from school, it was really nice to have a cup of cold sweet tea.

Chrysanthemum tea is made with dried Chrysanthemum flowers, water and sugar. It is sweet with an amazing floral scent. Light and refreshing. It is a very common and popular tea within Chinese. It is said that the tea aids in the recovery from cold and flu. It is also a cooling herb which can reduce the body temperature, which is perfect for summer time. I don’t know if Chrysanthemum tea really have any medical benefits, but it sure is a nice tea to enjoy.

One interesting side story: When I first saw the word “Chrysanthemum”, I just didn’t know how to pronounce it. Bryan repeated the word again and again, but I still couldn’t remember it. Out of nowhere, I came to realize the word “Chrysanthemum” sounds a lot like “Chris and his mom”. When you say “Chris and his mom” really fast, it would sound like “Chrysanthemum”. Ever since then, I can pronounce this word perfectly. 🙂

Last but not least, I will be taking a break and traveling, so I won’t be blogging for 3 weeks. Please check back on the week of February 9th. Meanwhile, follow me (@missinglokness) on Instagram for the latest photo updates. Stay tune!

European Hot Chocolate

The past weekend was kind of rough. Bryan’s car was broken into. His car was parked on the street overnight like normal. The next afternoon, we got in the car and realized the phone USB charger was missing. Then, we looked around and found out a few more things were gone. We got out of the car and saw the passenger’s side window was chipped and some of the car parts were broken. The car is barely 5 months old. No valuable things were visible before the incident. The thief only took away some non-valuable things, but the car repair will probably need about $400. It is heartbreaking. On the bright side, no one gets hurt and the car can be fixed easily. So all is good. But, Bryan and I definitely wouldn’t mind a cup of hot chocolate to make us feel better.

This hot chocolate is European style. It is really thick like a cup of melted chocolate. Smooth, creamy and warm. I swear that you will never go back to those hot chocolate packages after you try this! Now, go make a cup of hot chocolate and bundle up. 🙂

Pomegranate Gin Cocktail

As I mentioned last week, I made pomegranate syrup for this cocktail drink. With the dark concentrate syrup, the drink was ruby-red in color and you can barely see through the glass. With some of the floating pomegranate seeds, this drink would be perfect for the upcoming holiday parties. The drink was sweet and tart. It was a bit sweet from the orange juice and a bit tart from the pomegranate syrup and lemon. A great seasonal drink to impress your guests! Cheers!

Easy Mango Smoothie

When summer is here, I always think of this mango smoothie (芒果奶). My mom used to make this for my sister, dad and I in summer. My mom was a high school teacher before retiring. Every morning, she left home at 6am. We usually didn’t get to see her in the morning, and we had toasts and breads for breakfast mostly.

During summer time, my mom had vacation and she got to stay at home. She would make breakfast for us sometimes. Mango smoothie was one of those special treats that we all love. The ripe and sweet Carabao mangoes are blended with some milk and ice cubes. It is cold, smooth and creamy. A wonderful summer drink only takes less than 5 minutes to make! I know you will love this too!

Watermelon Lemonade

This summer is a really hot summer. It is hot just to be sitting on the couch. I am so ready for Fall. For now, a perfect heat relief is to drink a good glass of refreshing drink. Two weeks ago, my husband and I were out to a restaurant with some friends. I saw on the menu that they have watermelon lemonade. I tried it. It was refreshing and it was just what I want on a hot day. So, I came home and went online for watermelon lemonade. I found this recipe and I like it. I hope you will too.

Thai Iced Tea

Bryan and I love to order Thai iced tea when we go to eat Thai food. Thai iced tea is strong, and sweet. It is a great drink. After a few attempt, Bryan and I have come up with this recipe. It is easy, and it tastes like the one in restaurants. Now, you can pay less for more. Enjoy! 🙂

Hot Lemon and Ginger Coke

In this rainy weather, Bryan was a bit sick. In Hong Kong, people believe a cup of hot lemon and ginger coke would alleviate cold and flu symptoms. But, some people believe that this hot drink is invented by a Hong Kong cafe owner. The owner saw the slow selling of coke during winter time, so he invented hot coke drink and claimed it is a remedy for cold and flu. This helped with the selling rapidly. Even though hot lemon and ginger coke may not be a remedy, a cup of hot drink is comforting when sick.