Quentão

Believe it or not, Brazil has a lovely little season called “Winter”, and it is no more enjoyable there than it is in Michigan. Winter down there is almost worse because they don’t have anything to heat up their houses or stores. I spent most of my time curled up with my Snuggie (yes I know, feel free to judge), laptop, and a nice, hot mug of quentão. What? Did you hear me right? Yes, quentão (pronounced “kane-town”). It’s a simple, tea like drink that really warms you up and is great for the holiday seasons. It’s normally served at parties in Brazil, but it’s also great for a quiet night at home. Here’s the recipe!

Quentão

1 bottle of sweetened grape juice
2 lemons
1 orange peel
1 1/2 table spoons of cinnamon
1 table spoon of ginger

Preparation:

Put a pan on the stove and throw your grape juice in there. Put the stove on a medium setting.
Cut up your lemons. They don’t have to be pretty, but you should cut them into slices.
Throw your orange peel into the mix as well.
Next add your cinnamon and ginger. This part is tricky because there is no exact measurement for these ingredients. It’s kind of just a “season to taste” sort of deal.
Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring occasionally.
Serve hot.

And there you have it, quentão. Stay warm!