Scented Sugars:

I am always looking for fun new ways to spruce up a recipe and my latest obsession has been scented sugars. They are oh so simple to make and last indefinitely. The latter being key in adding some excitement when cleaning out the cupboards. Stumbling upon a little glass jar full of a heavenly Meyer Lemon Sugar, or spicy Garam Masala Sugar, mid-cleaning spree, is enough to make this clean freak stop to enjoy a hot cup of tea.
You can use most any spice, in whatever amount you prefer. Scented Sugars can be as gentle or as fierce as you like them. I'll list a few of my favorites, which I like to keep on hand for dusting and dredging cookies, adding to oatmeal or sprinkling on fruit, to name a few. Depending on the recipe, I sometimes add a bit of salt to the mix. It's amazing the flavors that salt can enhance, when least expected. It might sound a little strange, but in your next cup of tea, add a pinch and see how different (and still delicious) it can taste!

Note: Always use an airtight container, small mason jars or empty/reusable dried spice jars work wonders!

Vanilla Sugar: 1 vanilla bean + 2 cups of sugar. You can slice open the bean and scrape out the seeds to mix with the sugar or simply place the whole bean in the jar.

Chili Sugar: 1/2 tsp of your favorite ground chili powder + 1/4 cup sugar. Delicious to add to a cup of hot cocoa, or in corn bread.

Lavender Sugar: 1/2 tsp dried lavender buds + 1/4 cup sugar + pinch of salt. Combine in a mortar and pestle, grind fine. (This can be used in all the same ways as the Lavender Syrup I posted about a few days ago!)

Spice Sugar: 1/2 tsp cinnamon + 1/8 tsp ground cloves + 1/2 tsp finely grated orange peel. This is one of my favorites to add to tea. My all time favorite tea is Constant Comment, my mom drank it when I was growing up and it just reminds me of home. This sugar is great to spice up any black tea to give it that hint of Constant Comment that I crave when my stash of the real stuff runs out.

Meyer Lemon Sugar: 1 rind of a Meyer Lemon + 1 cup sugar. Peel the rind, sans pith, and leave it out to dry out for a day or two then place in the jar, layer the sugar to make sure all of the lemon peel is covered. After 2 days, remove the lemon peel, if left in for too long, it can get a strange taste. Meyer Lemons are great, their essential oils are less citrusy so they impart a subtle sweet scent.

As it is, grapefruits are in season, meaning they are at their flavor peek, abundant beyond reason and super affordable. As an added bonus, they are packed full of Vitamin C, which in combination with Iron rich foods, will help your body absorb the iron that it needs to stay healthy and fight off those pesky winter colds. I love grapefruits, but I have to admit, sometimes they can be too tart for my taste. A simple, and delicious, solution I have found is to slice one open, dust with one of my scented sugars and place it under the broiler for about 3 minutes. Not only does it cut down the tartness, but it also adds a sweet kick start to the day!