If you haven’t tried Golden Milk, warm and lovely Golden Milk, you’re in for a real treat. I love hot drinks: milky chicory coffee, chipotle hot chocolate, Emperor’s Pu-Ehr tea. I thought I had enjoyed all that the hot beverage world had to offer. Then I discovered Golden Milk.

What’s in it?

Golden Milk has two of my favorite ingredients: milk (I prefer unpasteurized goats’ milk from a friend’s farm), and turmeric. (NOTE: there are actually two r’s in turmeric. This is one of my many pronunciation pet peeves. But, alas, < that is a post for another day.) 

Blast from the Past: The Milk Ma’am

I actually get my milk delivered once a week by my “Milk Ma’am”, Catherine. If you’re in the Gainesville, FL area and need fresh goats’ milk, let me know and I’ll introduce you! ($5 a half gallon. There’s even cream on top!)

So, yeah, not only is Golden Milk lovely and warm, but it is useful. I like it just before I go to sleep. I have trouble sleeping. Warm milk always helps me drift off a little easier, and the turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, which keeps my owies from screaming at me all night and helps me toss and turn less. 

Other Uses for Turmeric

You can grow and grate your own, but I also use a lot of powdered turmeric. Seriously, like, a lot. Like, at least a 1/4 tsp. every day in my cereal. And many evenings in savory dishes. (Simmering a chicken in the pressure cooker as I type, with chicken broth, coconut milk, and lots of golden turmeric! <yet another post!) It’s tasty, good for you, and it’s a lovely color as well. (Just don’t get it on you. It stains so well that I’m thinking about using it to dye a white shirt that I have absolutely no business owning…)

How to make Warm and Lovely Golden Milk

Back to the task at hand. Making Golden Milk is a cake walk. Heat up a cup of milk (just don’t let it boil, cuz it gets funky and curdled), then stir in about a 1/4 tsp of turmeric. If you can do with some extra warming, add a bit of fresh ground black pepper, which helps with the absorption of turmeric. Other yummy things you can add are a 1/4 tsp of coconut oil, or vanilla extract (which gives the illusion of sweetness without the sugar spike), or some local raw honey (yummy and good for pollen allergies.) So you see, it’s not just a decadent hot beverage, it’s drink therapy. I mean, it would be irresponsible not to drink it. Warm and lovely Golden Milk!

What do you put in your Golden Milk? I have been thinking about cocoa powder. Or mayhaps carob powder. (Chocolate chips?!) I bet nutmeg and cardamom would be delicious. Try them out and then tell us your best recipe ideas. There are no wrong answers in Brainstorming. Happy sipping, my Self Care Circus freaks, happy sipping.