Hot drinks

I love love love this time of the year. With the weather getting more fall-like and the holidays to look forward to. There is just something really special released into the universe at this time. Anyhow, we are a family of tea drinkers. We drink tea (herbal or regular) all year around but the cooler it gets the better it is for us tea drinking people. To add to this I am also a concoctionist, I like to play around with recipes, substitute things, try out new combinations, you get the picture. So I've been contemplating hot drink alternatives (my allergic child is allergic to both milk and chocolate so hot cocoa in its' original form is out). I was also trying to reduce the intake of refined sugar at least some of the time:) So it dawned on me that I could use pure apple juice concentrate ( not an innovation really) and instead of using cold water use hot, then maybe put in a dash of cinnamon or use the hot juice as a base and add a herbal teabag for flavor variations. Both of these were taster approved this far. I am thinking of using other juice bases to make things more interesting. Another recipe I read in some jewish health book a while back is for a hot molasses drink - put a tablespoon or more according to taste add hot water and voila, my kids pretend they are drinking coffee when they have that one. Here in Israel for Rosh Hashana some of the juice companies come out with a special drink which is basically a combination of apple juice, honey and pomegranate juice (isn't it brilliant?), it tastes amazing too. So this year I'd like to play around with it and make a homemade version, it would probably be great as ices too (but here I go again). I think hot drinks are very conducive to a nice homey atmosphere, whether in the beginning of the day for a grand sendoff or in the evening when all the birds come back to the nest or in the afternoon for a nice cosy snack time or any other time a comforting something is in order. So l'chaim, may we and all of the Jewish people be inscribed for a sweet, healthy and blessed year with many comforting moments (on a spiritual, national and personal level).