by ELIZABETH YOUNG
While I’m usually someone who prefers to eat calories rather than drink them, there’s something about that middle-of-autumn time of year that makes indulging in a hot, comforting beverage much more enticing. While Ithaca rides out the last of its unusually temperate weather and you take advantage of these final moments to wear shorts and go jacketless, here are my top five picks for beverages to help warm you up when you have to don those jackets once again.
Chapple at Collegetown Bagels
I had been waiting somewhat impatiently for CTB to change its seasonal drinks menu from refreshing summer quenchers to cozy autumn warmers. So when I spotted the Chapple among the new chalkings on the blackboard, I knew I had to try it. And it did not disappoint. With a cinnamon apple tea bag enveloped into a chai latte, this fragrant drink tastes exactly like the perfect October dessert — plenty of sweetness tempered by a warm trifecta kick of cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper.
With a cinnamon apple tea bag enveloped into a chai latte, this fragrant drink tastes exactly like the perfect October dessert — plenty of sweetness tempered by a warm trifecta kick of cinnamon, cardamom and black pepper.
Hot Taro Milk Tea with Tapioca at Teatime
Whenever I go out for bubble tea, I always tell myself to branch out and try something different, but somehow, I always end up with my go-to: taro milk bubble tea. However, during a recent excursion to Teatime, when my friends pointed out to me that there was a hot version of my favorite, I was floored. And then promptly felt like a bad Asian for not discovering it sooner. Teatime’s warm interpretation enhanced the sweet starchiness of the taro root and is a drink that I would order again, though I recommend taking advantage of choosing a different sweetness level. The 100 percent sweetness level will give you quite the sugar rush … and subsequent crash.
Gingerbread Latte at Waffle Frolic
Gingerbread Latte at Waffle Frolic (Sports Photography Editor / Connor Archard).