A Cozy Cafe Visit

I have a favorite little fantasy. A dream where I own a cozy little bookshop/cafe. Although it's a dream that will never likely come true, I love coming up with recipes that fit the vibe of that daydream cafe.

Since it is now October, I thought I would share three cozy drink recipes to get you through autumn! And, since the dream cafe is also a bookshop, I will be sharing a book recommendation to go with each drink.

Cinnamon Sugar Oatmilk Tea

This is a super simple tea latte recipe that can be served hot or cold. The measurements aren't exact here because it depends on the strength of your tea and how sweet/milky you like it.

Ingredients:
1/3 cup hot water
1 English breakfast (or other black tea) tea bag
Sugar
Cinnamon
Oatmilk (start with 1/4 cup) *you can use any kind of milk you prefer*
Ice (optional)

Step 1: Brew your tea for about 5 minutes (you want it to be on the stronger side). Mix sugar in (to taste), and cinnamon (use more than you might think). Let the mixture cool.

Step 2: Add ice to your serving cup with an additional sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar. 

Step 3: Add your tea to the ice, then oat milk. Stir.

Step 4: garnish with a final sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar and enjoy!

This drink in my opinion goes perfectly with a cozy, middle grade read. I would recommend one of my favorite small-town series, and a fun middle-grade duopoly. 

Betsy-Tacy ​by Maud Hart Lovelace

This series follows Betsy Ray and her best friend Tacy Kelly from the ages of 5 through high school and college. It's set in the early 1900's in Minnesota, and is the coziest, funniest, lighthearted time.
If you want to know more details on the series, I wrote a whole article about it this time last year. Click here for the post.

Secrets and Scones and Cake and Confessions by Laurel Remington (also called The Secret Cooking Club in the UK)

This duology is about Scarlett, daughter of a famous motherhood blogger. Scarlett is sick of being in the spotlight and finds refuge in her neighbors vast kitchen.

The book is very middle-grade in tropes, but it's so cute and cozy. I love the way Scarlett grows into who she is and the wonderful food all throughout.

Cinnamon Caramel Iced Coffee

I'm not much of a coffee drinker, but one day, the idea for this drink just fell into my lap, and I've been making it obsessively ever since. This is quite a sweet coffee drink, so be warned if you're not a sweet coffee fan.

Ingredients:
1/2-1tsp caramel syrup (I use Hershey)
Splash of vanilla extract (so small of an amount that you can't measure it)
A shake of salt (don't skip this!)
 ground cinnamon (to taste)
Sugar (optional, depending on how much caramel syrup you use)
1/3 cup of milk (I normally mix half and half and either 1% milk or oat milk)
1/2 -2/3 cups chilled brewed coffee

Step 1: Pour your caramel syrup into the bottom of your glass, add in a shake of salt, a sprinkle of sugar (if you use less caramel), and a generous shake of ground cinnamon.

Step 2: Add in your milk and stir together with the syrup. Taste and adjust flavors accordingly.

Step 3: Add in the coffee and mix well.

Step 4: Add ice and enjoy!

Shady Hollow by Juneau Black

I haven't finished this book yet so I can't 100% recommend it, but so far I'm loving it! It's about a small town in the forest occupied by personified forest animals. Everything is peaceful in the town until a murder takes place, and it's up to young fox reporter Vera Vixen to solve the mystery. 

There is a moose run coffee shop that is the social hub of the community (hence me recommending this for this drink) and a bookstore called Nevermore Books run by a Raven named Lenore (how perfect is that!?)

Yorkshire Fog

Hot tea is my favorite cozy drink, and this is a fun spin on my go to cup of Yorkshire Tea. Yorkshire is a tea that I brought a huge box full of back from England. I love it and it works so well in this latte, but you can use any English Breakfast tea. 

This drink is a spin on a London Fog and inspired by Yorkshire, an area in Northern England.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup of hot water
2 Yorkshire tea bags (or English breakfast)
White sugar to taste
Splash of vanilla extract
1/4 cup milk

Step 1: Steep your tea bags in hot water for 4-5 minutes.

Step 2: Mix sugar, vanilla, and milk together then microwave for 30 seconds-1 minute, until the milk is slightly frothy.

Step 3: Using a milk frothed or an immersion blender, blend the hot milk until foamy.

Step 4: Add sugar to your tea and remove the tea bags.

Step 5: Slowly add the frothed milk to your tea and enjoy. 

Any Bronte Book... I would be going amiss if I didn't pair this tea with a book by the most famous Yorkshire residents - the Bronte sisters. Charlotte, Emily, and Anne wrote wonderfully cozy, gothic Victorian novels, perfect for Autumn.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I keep meaning to write a full review and analysis on Jane Eyre. I read this book over a year ago and I have thought about it every single day since reading it. It's about Jane, a young governess who goes to take care of a man called Mr. Rochester's ward. But things aren't quite as they seem in the mansion. Of course there is romance and drama but yet it's so much more than that. If you haven't read it, I'd highly recommend you read it, and will someday write this analysis that has been living rent free in my head.

Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte 
Another governess story, this book is more of a character study than a spooky romance. It was different than I expected but I found Agnes so relatable and her story entertaining and enlightening. There isn't much of a plot and that makes Anne's little work perfect bedtime reading.

I hope you enjoyed this drink and book guide! Let me know your favorite autumnal drinks and the books that go with them.

​I'll see you next week!

Belle Thomas

Belle is the writer and dreamer behind An Old Fashioned Girl. She is passionate about reminding girls of their identity in Christ, classic books, history, Louisa May Alcott, and earl grey tea. ​​