Around Thanksgiving each year Momma would start a big pot of spiced tea simmering on the back of the stove. She called it Russia tea and daily would add more fresh-squeezed orange juice, lemon juice, lemon peels and brewed tea to the pot. It made the entire house smell good, and was delicious when sipped with fruit cake, or to ward off the chill.
If anyone caught a cold out of season (meaning not around the holidays), she'd bring out the spices, brew a pot and deliver a full jug of it to the sick room. For nearly sixty years I've continued the tradition, sharing this aromatic brew with under-the-weather bosses, neighbors, and family.
I've since converted the recipe to use instant ingredients so I can keep a tightly sealed container of powdered mix in the pantry and brew a quick cup of my instant Spiced Tea. I think my time-saving recipe is equally delicious. You can keep a jar of these dry ingredients tightly sealed in the pantry and brew your own cuppa tea whenever you like.
Give the mix for a welcomed gift for family and coworkers. My granddaughters living in the East recently requested this recipe, so I decided to share it with you. A bottle of Instant Spiced Tea mix makes a welcomed gift for family and coworkers.
Here's my Instant Spiced Tea recipe. Buy:
1 large bottle Unsweetened Instant Tea. Do not buy sweetened instant tea.
1 big container of TANG.
1 box powdered lemonade. (The box contains 2 pkgs. Use both.)
.9 oz or 1 oz containers of:
Ground cinnamon
All spice
Ground cloves
Nutmeg (use only half of this)
I buy unsweetened instant tea, the largest bottle of instant tea (with lemon if you can find it), more than 16 oz, but less than 32 oz size. Do not use sweetened tea or this mix will be too sweet.
Depending on the size instant tea you purchased empty 2/3 to all of the tea into a large mixing bowl.
Add the lemonade.
Add half the Tang. You can always add more for taste.
If you add too much Tang, add more tea.
Add the spices, using only half the nutmeg. Too much nutmeg will make your tea bitter.
Use only fresh spices.
Mix well, but not rapidly. You don't want the powder to get in the air.
Sample the mixture. Add one cup of boiling water to one teaspoon of mix in the bottom of a teacup. Taste and doctor as needed. You want a sweet mix that is faintly tart.
Make a label with how to make instructions and attach to each gift:
SPICE TEA mix
Add boiling water to 1 ½ teaspoons of dry mix.
(Or the quantity you prefer for a good up of tea)
Add a little rum if you have a cold.
Package in pretty, airtight containers or Ziplock bags.
Be sure to save yourself some, and enjoy. I doubled this recipe when I shopped last year. My ingredients added up to about $32 and made 9 welcomed gifts.
If anyone caught a cold out of season (meaning not around the holidays), she'd bring out the spices, brew a pot and deliver a full jug of it to the sick room. For nearly sixty years I've continued the tradition, sharing this aromatic brew with under-the-weather bosses, neighbors, and family.
I've since converted the recipe to use instant ingredients so I can keep a tightly sealed container of powdered mix in the pantry and brew a quick cup of my instant Spiced Tea. I think my time-saving recipe is equally delicious. You can keep a jar of these dry ingredients tightly sealed in the pantry and brew your own cuppa tea whenever you like.
Give the mix for a welcomed gift for family and coworkers. My granddaughters living in the East recently requested this recipe, so I decided to share it with you. A bottle of Instant Spiced Tea mix makes a welcomed gift for family and coworkers.
Here's my Instant Spiced Tea recipe. Buy:
1 large bottle Unsweetened Instant Tea. Do not buy sweetened instant tea.
1 big container of TANG.
1 box powdered lemonade. (The box contains 2 pkgs. Use both.)
.9 oz or 1 oz containers of:
Ground cinnamon
All spice
Ground cloves
Nutmeg (use only half of this)
I buy unsweetened instant tea, the largest bottle of instant tea (with lemon if you can find it), more than 16 oz, but less than 32 oz size. Do not use sweetened tea or this mix will be too sweet.
Depending on the size instant tea you purchased empty 2/3 to all of the tea into a large mixing bowl.
Add the lemonade.
Add half the Tang. You can always add more for taste.
If you add too much Tang, add more tea.
Add the spices, using only half the nutmeg. Too much nutmeg will make your tea bitter.
Use only fresh spices.
Mix well, but not rapidly. You don't want the powder to get in the air.
Sample the mixture. Add one cup of boiling water to one teaspoon of mix in the bottom of a teacup. Taste and doctor as needed. You want a sweet mix that is faintly tart.
Make a label with how to make instructions and attach to each gift:
SPICE TEA mix
Add boiling water to 1 ½ teaspoons of dry mix.
(Or the quantity you prefer for a good up of tea)
Add a little rum if you have a cold.
Package in pretty, airtight containers or Ziplock bags.
Be sure to save yourself some, and enjoy. I doubled this recipe when I shopped last year. My ingredients added up to about $32 and made 9 welcomed gifts.
RSS Feed
