Well, Halloween is finally here, complete with its own very real weather special effects. You just can’t make this stuff up. There are predictions of thunderstorms and howling winds gusting to 45 mph for the evening hours – well, you can’t get much more realistic than that for the spookiest night of the year. I wonder what this witch has got mixin’ up in her magic brew? Maybe she is stirring up some “Friendship Tea”. I’m sharing my mom’s recipe for “Friendship Tea”, sometimes called “Russian Tea”… the ingredients and prep are simple and it yields 40 servings. It’s perfect to warm your innards on a cold Winter day.

Do be sure and catch today’s Google Doodle with the wicked-looking witch stirring up something green and mysterious in her big cauldron. Further, on the subject of witches, my old college pal, Jim Mulleague, called the late local celebrity “Good Witch Gundella” mom. Jim was also famous in his own right; he and a friend have had a gig as Laurel and Hardy for decades. Jim is the spittin’ image of Ollie Hardy and somewhere in my collection of scrapbooks and albums, I have a picture of him and I at our student government banquet and I will scan it in and post it one day.

Be forewarned: if you’re flying tonight, hold onto your broom handle tightly. Happy Halloween everyone!

FRIENDSHIP TEA
1/2 cup instant tea powder
1 cup sweetened lemonade powder
1 cup orange-flavored drink mix (e.g. Tang)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions
• In a large bowl, combine instant tea, lemonade powder, orange drink mix, cinnamon and clove. Mix well and store in an airtight container.

• To serve, Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of mix in a mug. Stir in 1 cup of boiling water. Adjust to taste.

• Makes 40 servings