As we slowly move into autumn, our need of a cosy and delicious cup of tea grows.

But which are the best teas for the autumn season?

Well… at the top of the list for autumns teas we have spices. In every way and manner. Invigorating, curing, aromatic, heart and spirit warming, spices are the best way to enter autumn and winter. Just like Babingtons Karha Chai, an intense black tea filled with Indian spices,such as cardamom, cinnamon, ginger and red pepper.

“Founded in 2018 for the celebration of our 125th Anniversary, the Babingtons for Darjeeling Foundation is committed to form young students in Darjeeling, whose families work in tea gardens in this region. Through purchasing and enjoying the Karha Chai, tea lovers are not only doing good for themselves but to others too.”

Let’s see why spices are are so good for us during autumn. First of all, holding a warm cup or mug of hot tea in your hands is very comforting. But drinking a premium quality tea measn the benefits are great. All teas, black, green, white, oolong, are full of vitamins, antioxidants and polifenols, which give a boost to our immune system. And when we add to the tea leaves other ingredients such as ginger, orange, lemon, cardamom, cinnamon just to say some, the benefits are amazing. Try the Babingtons Imperial Earl Grey or the Babingtons Citrus Blossom…

Then there are the so called “functional” herbal teas, created to actually help us in different ways. For example the Babingtons Top Up is a very invigorating blend, whereas the Babingtons Sweet Dreams or the Chill Out are great allies when it comes to bed time.

The most popular spices for the autumn are turmeric, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. These ingredients can be found in some of Babingtons Blends, but can also be used on their own. Why are these spices recommended in autumn? Because they contain minerals and vitamins and because they are a wonderful natural remedy for autumn ailments such as sore throats, coughs and colds.

These autumn spices are also delicious if used as ingredients for your savory and sweet dishes. Have you ever tried to add a spoonful of turmeric to your hot soup? Or cinnamon powder over your apple pie? You can grate ginger over your chicken or fish dishes… there are hundreds of recipes you can find using these autumn spices!

Let’s go back to our teas and herbal teas, because you can use these autumn spices to make your own blends. The first and most important rule is to use premium quality ingredients.

For example you can bring and leave to boil for 10 minutes cold water, lemon zest and ginger, before adding honey and having a lovely soothing, warm drink. Or you can make yourself an invigorating cardamom tea by boiling cardamom pods for 5 minutes in water before adding a lovely intense black tea (Assam is perfect), milk and sugar.

Here is a recipe you may try at home, which we hope you will love as much as we do: Bring to boil 200 ml of fresh water and a pinch of turmeric powder, two cardamom pods, a slice of ginger and a generous pinch od cinnamon powder. Add 2 gr of black Chinese or Indian Tea and leave to brew for 3-4 minutes before passing in a sieve. Add honey and lemon according to your taste and enjoy!