John and my families both vacationed there when we were growing up, and we honeymooned in Breckenridge for two weeks after our wedding in 2010. The whole state has a special place in our hearts. Two years ago we made a trip to visit friends and get our mountain fix, and we ended up at a little coffee and tea shop in Fort Collins that I was initially underwhelmed by but immediately bowled over with affection after trying one sip of their creamy ginger latte. Friends, it was love. Ever since then, I’ve had a love affair with ginger. Not only is it insanely good for you, it adds the most amazing flavor to dishes like including soups, cookies and even cocktails. I’ve tried with half-hearted effort to recreate the ginger dream latte they served at this particular tea house, but with no success. In fact, a few weeks ago John came into the kitchen and smelled ginger and asked what I was making. “Ginger tea.”“How much ginger are you using?”“Like 10 pieces.”“For ONE CUP? I think you only need like three, for a group of 10.”“Oh…” OK, OK, so he was right. I’d seen a recipe on Pinterest but didn’t actually read it (go figure), so I ended up with super concentrated ginger tea with zero sweetness and creaminess. That was it; I had to remedy the problem. A proper ginger latte WAS happening. First step: Make ginger syrup. It’s super easy, you just measure 1 part sugar and 1 part water and bring it to a simmer in a saucepan. Then add sliced ginger and let it simmer away for 45 minutes. The result is a sweet, punchy ginger syrup that you can add to cocktails, lattes, and atop baked goods for a gingery sweet glaze. The only thing left to do is heat up your almond milk and whisk in the syrup. This recipe is a starting place for a ginger latte, that doesn’t actually include “tea.” If you have ginger tea on hand, steep it in your hot almond milk first, and then add the ginger syrup for sweetness and even more ginger kick. This would send you straight to ginger latte heaven. What’s it taste like? I was smitten at first sip. It’s: CreamySoothingNot too sweetPerfectly gingery& perfect for an afternoon reprieve, or lazy weekend mornings whilst reading, writing, or whatever your weekend activities might include. I have been cutting back on caffeine for various reasons, but still love the idea of a hot drink in the morning. So I’ve been enjoying one alongside breakfast when I’m craving something warm and comforting. This latte certainly does the trick. Enjoy!
