[Photo: Kathy Chan]

For those chilly days when you're shopping around Soho, duck into Balthazar—not for the lush coconut cake, not for the canneles, but a hot cup of tea.

Hot Ginger Citrus Tea ($2.75), to be exact. I was waiting in line at the bakery one day, when each of the three people in front of me ordered the tea; how could I have not tried it myself? Spicy, not for the faint of heart, the tea is dominated by ginger, with citrus as a mild companion, sweetened just enough. It is certain to clear any impending head cold.

Balthazar Bakery

568 Broadway, New York NY 10012 (map)
balthazarbakery.com