We are in turmeric harvesting season which means there is an abundance of fresh organically grown turmeric from our farm. Our turmeric is grown a bit differently, in an agroforestry setting, instead of open fields. Turmeric is prized for its health benefits, helping with decreasing pain and inflammation. For hundreds of years, turmeric has been a staple in Ayurvedic medicine (one of the oldest systems of natural healing in the world) and it’s a staple in our kitchen as well. Ayurvedic medicine teaches us that in order to unlock the medicinal benefits from turmeric, you need to eat it with fat and peppercorn. That is why you will usually always find turmeric paired with black pepper and some type of fat like ghee, milks, or animal fats.

Turmeric has a mild earthy taste, there’s no spicy quality like ginger though they do have a similar appearance. The golden knobby roots have a thin papery skin that is easily scraped off with a spoon. This recipe for Golden Milk uses powdered turmeric, but you can sub in finely grated or minced fresh turmeric. Understand that turmeric may stain your fingers and other items during the chopping process so plan accordingly.

Enjoy Golden Milk warm or on ice, either way Golden Milk is sure to become a healthy and tasty favorite.

Ingredients

makes 2

2 cups whole milk or unsweetened coconut milk

3 cloves

3 allspice berries

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

2 tsp ground, finely grated, or minced turmeric

1/2 tsp ground, finely grated, or minced ginger

Pinch of ground nutmeg

5 turns of a pepper mill for freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp coconut oil

1 tsp ghee

2 tsp raw honey

Method

Bring milk to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Drop in the 3 cloves and 3 allspice berries. Whisk in cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, nutmeg, and black pepper. Whisk vigorously to incorporate any clumps. Decrease heat to low and continue to stir in coconut oil and ghee. Continue to cook 5–10 minutes. Stir in honey. Pour into a mug- you may want to use a mesh strainer to avoid cloves or allspice or minced items. Finish with a dash of cinnamon and enjoy!