good night milk

Winter seems to be fast approaching, and tonight I was craving a really good cup of hot milk.  I decided to do a variation of a milk my mother always gave me when I felt unwell as a child, with haldi (turmeric) and honey.

Makes 1 serving. 

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces milk (any kind you like - I use 1% milk)
• 1 cinnamon stick (preferable), or 1/2 tsp of ground cinnamon
• 3 cloves
• 2 cardamom pods (preferable), or a pinch of ground cardamom 
• 1/3 of a nutmeg (preferable), or about 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground ginger
• Pinch of turmeric powder
• 2 tsp honey (or more, to taste)
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2-3 tsp Bailey's Irish Cream liquor, whiskey, bourbon, dark rum (whatever strikes your fancy, and this is optional but definitely delicious)

Directions:

1. Pour milk into a small saucepan and set your stove on very low heat.
2. Add all ingredients except the turmeric, honey, vanilla, and alcohol (if using).
3. Once the milk has started to heat, but before it starts to boil, add the turmeric and the honey.  Don't add too much honey at first -- you can always add more at the end, but you don't want this to be overly sweet.
4. As you see the first very small bubbles begin to form, add the vanilla.
5. Once milk has started to froth but before it reaches a rolling boil, turn off the heat.
6. Add the alcohol (if using).
7. Put a strainer over a mug, and pour the milk into the mug.
8. Toss all the whole spices -- unless you want to keep the cinnamon stick in the milk as you drink it, as garnish -- and have a "good night"!