Drinks to warm the soul

After a day spent sledding, snowmachining or hiking in the outdoors during the winter, nothing beats a piping hot cup of coffee, a sweet cup of hot chocolate or a glass of warm tea.

The best part of a hot winter drink is the fact you don't even have to go out into the freezing cold to enjoy them.

Whether at a holiday party or just sitting by the window and watching the snow fall, hot drinks make the winter bearable -- and enjoyable, at the same time.

Of course, you can always brew a cup of Folger's coffee or open a packet of Swiss Miss and have cocoa in an instant.

Some days, the simplicity will do. But on other days, you want something a little more substantial. By starting from scratch, you get rich flavors that require a second cup to enjoy.

As the seasons change, so do people's preferences.

When it comes to fresh ground coffee, the general rule is the colder the weather, the darker the roast.

"The heavier drinks become a lot more popular when it gets colder. People are asking for a lot of darker drinks in the winter, like breves and mochas, rather than light drinks and iced coffees that people tend to order more in the summer," said Ron McClure of the Coffee Roastery.

An unusual trend this year, McClure said, is an increased demand from his customers for flavored coffees.

"For some reason, flavored coffee drinks have gotten very popular lately," McClure said. "We've seen like an 80-percent increase in flavored coffees. I can't really explain it, maybe people are wanting something a little different this winter."

Noncoffee drinkers can also enjoy the winter with a hot beverage in hand.

One all-time favorite is Mexican hot chocolate, which is a bit spicier than traditional hot chocolate. It is very rich as well, and chocolate lovers will enjoy every drop.

There are a number of teas on the market that provide warmth on a cold winter day as well.

Like hot chocolate and coffee drinks, you can do it the easy way and drop a tea bag into a mug of hot water, or you can go all out and brew your own spiced tea.

Try the recipe for spiced tea on this page for a starter, and go from there, adding or subtracting spices to suit your taste.

At holiday parties, hot winter drinks with a twist are wildly popular -- by those 21 and older, of course.

Old fashioned hot cocoa

1-2 cup sugar

1-3 cup hot water

1-4 cup unsweetened cocoa

4 cups milk

1-8 teaspoon salt

3-4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix cocoa, sugar, water and salt in saucepan and stir over medium heat until it boils. Cook, stirring constantly, for one minute. Stir in the milk and heat for another minute, but don't let it boil. Remove from heat, add the vanilla and blend. Serve immediately.

Orange kissed hot chocolate

2 cups milk

4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped

3 orange peel strips (2 inches by 1 inch)

1-2 teaspoon instant espresso powder, or instant coffee powder

1-8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan, stirring over low heat until chocolate melts. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and whisk until frothy. Return to heat and bring to a boil again, remove it and whisk until frothy again. Repeat heating and frothing one more time. Discard orange peels and pour into mugs to serve.

Mexican hot chocolate

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

4 cups milk

2 cups heavy cream

3-4 cup sugar

1 1-2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

3 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt chocolate in top of double boiler. In a separate heavy saucepan, heat milk and cream on low until hot, but not bubbling. Add three tablespoons of milk mixture to the chocolate and mix well. Slowly blend in the rest of the milk mixture, sugar and cinnamon. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and vanilla extract. Add a tablespoon of the chocolate mix into the eggs and mix well. Slowly stir egg mix into chocolate mixture. Whisk hot chocolate briskly in double boiler for three minutes. Serve immediately.

There are a number of adult beverages that are holiday classics, as well as evening delights. Hot buttered rum is a standard for Christmas parties.

With a little preparation time beforehand, serving hot buttered rum drinks at a party can be easy for the host.

Other popular hot holiday drinks of the adult variety include Irish coffee, Kahlua and coffee and hot toddies.

Adding brandy or other flavored liqueurs to hot chocolate is another way of spicing up a favorite winter drink.

Hot buttered rum

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 16-ounce package confectioner's sugar, sifted

1 pound light brown sugar, packed

1 quart vanilla ice cream, softened

In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugars together until smooth. Add softened ice cream and mix until a creamy consistency is achieved. Transfer into a freezer container and freeze.

To serve, place two heaping tablespoons of the frozen mixture in a coffee mug or highball glass. Add one to two tablespoons dark rum. Pour over the mixture six ounces of boiling water, and stir until the mixture is melted. Sprinkle with cinnamon or nutmeg and serve.

Serves 15.

Halve the recipe for fewer servings, or freeze remaining mix in an airtight container. The mix can be frozen for up to one full month.