Top 5 Drinks For Reading (With Recipes)

Hello again, friends! Last Tuesday, Meeghan came up with a fun prompt for Top 5 Tuesday for foodies and bookworms alike: best 5 snacks to eat while reading. Today’s topic is also one that’s kinda related and will no doubt leave you feeling a little thirsty: top 5 drinks for reading.

For those who don’t know, Top 5 Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme originally created by The Bionic Bookworm and now being hosted at Meeghan Reads. For this week’s prompt about top 5 drinks for reading, I wanted to add my own little spin: not only will I tell you about my favorite drinks to have while cozying up with a good book, but I’ll share my quick and easy recipes for them too!

1. Dudh Chaa (Milk Tea)

Being a Bangali, there’s nothing I love more than having a warm cup of milk tea or dudh chaa first thing in the morning. In fact, I can’t imagine having breakfast without a cup of steaming milk tea, even though I don’t have any need for caffeine to get me through the day. For me, having milk tea is just another activity that brings me joy, just like reading books.

So of course it should come as no surprise that my top favorite drink to have while reading a book is milk tea. Here’s my recipe for brewing the perfect cup of Bangladeshi milk tea at home.

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Tanaz’s Recipe For The Best Milk Tea

Prep Time: Approximately 2 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 and a half cups of water (or 1 cup of water and quarter cup of liquid milk)
• 2 small teaspoons of finely ground powdered black tea (Ispahani and Kazi & Kazi are some of the most popular brands in Bangladesh and easily available at any South Asian supermarket abroad, but I personally prefer Green Grocery’s Special Black Tea.)
• 2 tea spoons of powdered milk. If you are using liquid milk, then you can skip this.
• 1 teaspoon of sugar–this is actually personal preference: you can choose to skip the sugar entirely or add more if you have a sweet tooth 😉

Directions:

Boil the water in a pot, and as soon as it starts to bubble add 2 teaspoons of powdered tea. Reduce the heat slightly so the tea does not burn and spill over. Wait till the water turns a deep ruby red color and then add milk. Again, lower the heat to prevent the tea from burning and spilling over, and stir the mixture lightly until the tea has turned a light brown color.

Add sugar to your teacup, and then pour the tea into your cup with a tea strainer. You can use the leftover tea powder as compost–it is rich in nutrients for plant growth and is a great biodegradable waste. Stir the drink with a spoon so that the sugar dissolves, and that’s it! In less than 2 minutes you have a warm, delicious drink to sip while reading.

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2. Mocha

I am a big fan of chocolate and not a very big fan of strong coffee. So, if I am not having a cup of milk tea while reading, you will most likely find me sipping a steaming cup of mocha instead.

Fun fact: at WPDeveloper, where I am currently working, we get free coffee coupons every month to get our daily fix of lattes, mochas, cappuccinos, espressos, and americanos from Le’spresso, a quaint little cafe in Dhaka. We have an in-house barista from Le’spresso who makes delicious, chocolatey mocha, and I am absolutely addicted to it! 😂

I also really like the white mocha at Crimson Cup, which is a very comfy and cozy cafe that’s only a ten-minute walk away from my place.

Back when I was in university, I used to go there all the time–either to catch up with friends, on dates, or just to sit in a corner to read or write.

3. Kid’s Hot Chocolate

Like I said, I love chocolatey drinks, and really what could be more chocolatey than a cup of hot chocolate?

Admittedly, when it comes to hot chocolate, I usually always go for the kid’s version. Reason? Kid’s hot chocolate is always served at the best temperature, and in a tropical climate like Bangladesh, it’s easier to have a small drink of rich, milky hot chocolate than a large mug of it.

North End has the best kid’s hot chocolate, and also the best ambiance for anyone who wants to sit in a corner with a good book while enjoying a warm, sweet drink.

Don’t feel like going to a cafe to buy yourself hot chocolate? Well, you can always make it at home. There are tons of great recipes online; here’s mine if you want to give it a try!

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Tanaz’s Recipe For Quick Hot Chocolate

Prep Time: Approximately 2 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water (or 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup liquid milk)
• 3 small teaspoons of Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate
• 2-3 teaspoons of powdered milk. If you are using liquid milk, then you can skip this.
• Optional: sugar, if you have a really sweet tooth. I don’t, so I always skip this.

Directions:

Boil the water and milk in a pot on low heat, and stir lightly to prevent the milk from burning (this is especially important if you are using powdered milk instead of liquid milk). When the milk has thickened slightly, add Cadbury’s Drinking Chocolate and keep stirring until it is mixed well. Pour the drink into your mug and top it off with whipped cream or marshmallows if you like.

4. Lebu Chaa (Lemon Tea)

When I am not in the mood for milk tea–which is a rare occurrence but it does happen— you may find me sipping a small cup of lemon tea or lebu chaa instead. While you can always buy the ready mix or instant lemon tea at your local grocery store, I prefer brewing one fresh from scratch.

The best part of making it at home? You can either have it as iced tea, or have it warm too.

Tanaz’s Recipe For The Best Lemon Tea

Prep Time: Approximately 2 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of water
• 1/4 teaspoon of finely ground powdered black tea (Ispahani and Kazi & Kazi are some of the most popular brands in Bangladesh and easily available at any South Asian supermarket abroad, but I personally prefer Green Grocery’s Special Black Tea.)
• 1/2 teaspoon of lime juice, not lemon, though you can use lemon if you don’t find lime. Also, you can adjust the amount of lime juice according to your taste, I like it a bit tangy and citrusy.
• 1 teaspoon of sugar–this is actually personal preference: you can choose to skip the sugar entirely or add more if you have a sweet tooth 😉

Directions:

Boil the water in a pot, and as soon as it starts to bubble add 1/4 teaspoon of powdered tea. Wait till the water turns a light shade of red and then turn off the heat immediately–you don’t want to brew the tea entirely, you just want it to release the flavor.

Add sugar to your teacup, and then pour the tea into your cup with a tea strainer. You can use the leftover tea powder as compost–it is rich in nutrients for plant growth and is a great biodegradable waste.

Next, add the lime juice. I prefer adding 1/2 teaspoon, or until the color of the tea turns a beautiful, light amber. You can add more or less depending on your preference. Stir the drink with a spoon so that the sugar and the lemon juice dissolve, and that’s it!

If you would rather have this as a cold drink, simply wait for the water to cool by putting it in the freezer before adding the lime juice. Once the water is cold enough, you can add the lime juice and a few ice cubes for an extra chill.

5. Water

Finally, on my list of top 5 drinks for reading is….*cues drumroll*….WATER!

That’s right, friends. Water is the stuff of life, and you have to admit it–when we are reading a really good book, we bookworms tend to forget our basic needs including (but not limited to) eating, sleeping, socializing, and hydrating.

Which is of course, terrible for our health. And that’s why, even if water is not on your list of drinks for reading, it really should be. The next time you pick up a book, make sure to also have a bottle of water nearby, and maybe even set a reminder on your phone so you don’t forget to keep your body hydrated while you read. 💙

What are your favorite drinks to have while reading? Share them below, and feel free to let me know any favorite recipes that you may have too!