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Last week, as my paddle sliced the inky lake water of Northern Minnesota, my mind wandered like a radio on scan. The beautiful surrounding set my wanderlusting mind on roam. On this particular day up North, I could feel the chill in the air and see the stirring wind sending waves and white caps to greet our lightweight canoe. Naturally, I tuned my mind to visions of fall: orange and red dotting the trees, football games, Halloween!, plus the perfect cozy sweater and a hot mug of cider. I would’ve traded my paddle for any of them.

It’s the dog days of summer, but I’m already anticipating the new season, new beginnings and a new take on a classic drink. I believe it’s in order.

Cider on Fire—as I like to call it, however, Mulled Cider works too.

While I was eating a soft, ripe and juicy persimmon one morning, I understood why this fruit has been regarded as one of the various kinds of aphrodisiacs in history.  It then occurred to me...why not an aphrodisiac in a cup? 

I was inspired to then research various fruits, spices, herbs and teas throughout history that have been recognized as having sensual qualities.  The knowledge I gathered was fascinating, as I learned that lovers, poets, kings, mistresses and even doctors alike have been interested in this phenomena.

And now we launch Apricot Chai: a tea which its every component is deeply rooted in history as having erotic qualities. It contains black tea, apricot and peach preserves, gingerroot, cloves, vanilla beans, and recommended with a flowing drop of honey.  Here is the breakdown:

Sensual tea: In the 1300's in China, tea became a romantic ritual symbolizing poetry and beauty. The Japanese treat tea as a drink of immortality which has to be consumed in a precise ceremonial, making each step an initiation and a sign of poetic ecstasy.  When tea made its way to Europe in the 1700's, a Corsican doctor, Simon Paoli, tasted it and declared that it should be banned because it was too intoxicating.

Peach Preserves: In China and Japan, brides wear wreaths of peach blossoms as a symbol of viginity and fertility.

Apricot Preserves: In Australia, the aboriginies prepared a special tea made from apricot stone. They would crush and smear the fruit onto their erogenous regions as a pre-coital perfume to enhance love-making.

Vanilla Bean: In certain regions of South America, including Mexico, Venezuela and Argentina, men try to capture their former vigor by soaking vanilla beans into a glass of tequila for a long period of time, which is to enhance their 'performance.'

Ginger root: It is widely known that ginger stimulates the circulatory system.  The Arab physician Avicenna from the 11th century, prescribed honey mixed with ginger and a little pepper to stimulate sexuality.

Cloves: Cloves are also a stimulating spice, which allures the senses to encourage lust.

Citrus peels: Oranges have been used by the Christians to tempt the appetites of the lions at the Coliseum.

Honey: Egyptian medicine used honey as a base to cure sterility and impotence. Also, medieval seducers hypnotized their lovers by using mead, a fermented concoction made from honey. Sheikh Nefzawi from the 16th century recommended having pine kernels mixed with honey before lovemaking in his sexual manual "The Perfumed Garden".

With all of these ingredients, the Apricot Chai is recommended to be drank with your significant other.