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Author:
Franco Salzillo
Close your eyes and picture yourself all chilly on a winter afternoon. Now smell the most comforting and heart-warming scents of cinnamon, cloves and orange peels coming out of a teapot.
That’s a winter warmer right there, and a good one at that. We’re making orange spice tea, and you’ll love it, especially when you need the warmth of a well-made tea.
Orange peels are magic; they’re so fragrant! And they’re evocative of all things nice. When combined with a few warm spices and a steaming hot black tea, you get a lovely drink!
We’re making a batch of orange spice tea in a pot on the stovetop. That way, we can control what we throw in there a little better. Once the water is boiling, it’s game time.
We’re dissolving some sugar (you can also use honey) and adding orange peels, a cinnamon stick and a few aromatic cloves. You can add whatever your heart desires.
The most important part, though, is adding the tea. I use Earl Gray because it’s a combination of black tea and bitter orange peels, enhancing the orange flavor. You don’t want to over-steep the tea, as the result will be overly bitter.
4-5 minutes is enough, and don’t press the tea bags with a spoon to extract more color and flavor; trust me, you’ll only ruin your batch.
After straining, the orange spice tea is ready to go, and it’s lovely with a squirt of lemon or a splash of cream. You can’t say the same thing about other spiced teas.
If you want to try this recipe during summer, strain the tea and let it cool to room temperature before serving it over ice.
Don’t pour hot tea over ice, or it will melt the cubes and dilute the tea. Store the tea on a pitcher sans-ice in the fridge until ready to serve for the best results!
In a pot, boil the water. Once boiling, add the sugar and stir until dissolved.
Add the orange peel, cinnamon stick and cloves. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and dip the teabags for 4-5 more minutes without over-extracting. Stir occasionally.
Pour through a strainer into four cups and garnish with orange slices. Offer extra sugar for sweetening to taste.
