In the tea industry, tea leaves are graded on the quality and condition of the leaves. The highest grades are referred to as orange pekoe. However, the term has nothing to do with oranges; it is simply a grade of black tea. This recipe is made with oranges and black tea. Oranges contain a high amount of vitamin C and raspberries are loaded with antioxidants. This cold brew tea contains an abundance of health benefits.
Ingredients
- 24 ounces filtered water
- 3 black tea bags, or 1½ heaping tablespoons loose tea
- 1/8 cup dried orange slices
- One 1-inch piece vanilla bean
- 1/4 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
Directions
Place the water, tea bags or loose tea, dried orange, and vanilla bean in a lidded mason jar and refrigerate for 6 hours or overnight. When tea is ready to your taste, remove the bags or strain out the loose tea. Remove the orange and vanilla bean, or leave them in if you would like a stronger infusion. At this time it’s best to remove the rind from the orange and place the fruit back in the container if you are further infusing. Removing the rind prevents any bitterness.
To further infuse: Add fresh or frozen raspberries.
Dried Orange, Lemon, Lime, or Grapefruit Peels
There are various ways to prepare citrus for drying. Always use organic citrus and wash and dry the fruit. One method is to use a sharp vegetable peeler to peel the rind off the fruit in thin strips, leaving the white pith behind. Another way is to uniformly slice the whole fruit, keeping the flesh of the fruit intact and just removing the seeds.
Reproduced by permission of The Countryman Press. All rights reserved.
