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It’s amazing how quickly our weather has gone a 180! We had such a nice September and it didn’t take long for our October to become, well, our usual October, wet and cold. Because of the sudden weather change, a lot of people at the office has been under the weather. And that’s when I was introduced to this magical drink found in Yaletown – the Cold Blaster. And O-Cha Tea Bar, is the place to be.

Cold Blaster

The other day, after my two teammates have been claimed a victim of the vicious virus, I trekked all the way to Yaletown to grab a Cold Blaster, just in case. Other colleagues have tried it before and it seemed to have helped them recover from early cold symptoms, so I thought I would get it as a preventative measure. This drink contains a special tea blend, orange juice, honey, ginger, and a little wedge of lemon; all this is topped with a shake or two of cayenne powder. Yes, cayenne powder. The combination of ingredients may sound really strange, but when mixed together it’s a fragrant, citrusy drink. And thanks to the heat from the cayenne, it warms you right up as soon as you take your first sip.

Cold Blaster at O-Cha

After my first dose of Cold Blaster, my body has stayed strong and I haven’t fallen as another victim of the virus. This seems to be the cure-all now for colleagues who are feeling a slightly bit sick. At the same time KB and LH just love the tea for what it is, and would just go for one even if they feel find. Ah what a great find!

But wait!

I was doing my daily read online and came across a blog post. It’s a recipe for a home remedy to sore throat, hacking cough and tight congestion. And if you have been reading this post, you will find the list of ingredients rather familiar:

• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne
• 1/4 teaspoon Ginger
• 1 Tablespoon Apple Cider Vinegar (organic preferred)
• 2 Tablespoon Water
• 1 Tablespoon Honey (raw honey preferred)

Wow I might have just cracked the secret of Cold Blaster!

Home Remedy Ingredients

Home Remedy Recipe

For the sake of testing the recipe, I mixed cayenne, ginger, apple cider vinegar and water first, then added in the honey. It results in this orange-coloured concoction that has a taste reminiscent of the Cold Blaster’s. The sweetness of the honey balances out the acidity in the cider vinegar, all the while the heat from the cayenne and ginger remains. It doesn’t taste bad, but definitely has a kick to it. According to the post, all it takes is one spoonful and it should help soothe your sore throat, cough and congestion.

The concoction

Now, because I wasn’t feeling sick *touch wood*, I can’t really tell you how effective this is. However, I did read through the 300+ comments on the blog post and it seems to work for most people (note: the keyword here is most, as nothing works 100%). Of course, this probably shouldn’t be considered as the cure-all either, but more as something to take as you discover the early symptoms. But hey, for something that costs you like $0.10 a dose, why not make some and give it a try?!

Final Thoughts

Once again, be reminded that this is a recipe that I found online and it may not work for everyone. Also, this is by no means trying to take business away from O-Cha. I actually have tried adding orange juice and tea to this concoction, and let me tell you, it tasted nothing like the Cold Blaster and it didn’t taste very good! There is certain uniqueness in the Cold Blaster that is definitely worth going back to O-Cha for.

O-Cha Tea Bar
1116 Homer Street, Vancouver
604-633-3929