When the season is changing and bringing us chilly weather, a warm beverage is just the thing we need. This tea infused cider is a great way to consume extra needed nutrients and spices to ward off a cold. Let your favorite citrus or ground spice teas to boost your immune system and improve your health. Check out Countertop for more information on which spices are good for your needs.
To make apple cider from apples, bake a variety of apples until soft. A mixture of sweet (Fuji and Honeycrisp) and tart apples (Granny Smith and Braeburn) creates a well-balanced flavor. Next smash them with a potato masher (or similar tool) and add them to the Crock-pot as the “cider”. Continue with the rest of the recipe. If a Crock-pot is unavailable, you can always bring the apples and water to a simmer, covered. Cook for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Then smash the apples, add the spices, and continue to simmer for another hour.
Take-Home Tips: For each tea bag you add, increase the brown sugar by 1 tablespoon and the water by 1 cup. The recipe is written for 1 tea bag. I would not recommend white sugar or other sugar substitutes, except potentially molasses, due to the other ingredients involved. Lemons are a great substitute if you would prefer them over the orange. Serve with a slice of orange.
Scoring: 9 of 10. For someone who did not expect to enjoy this, I really did like it. It is warm but does not warm the bones like hot cocoa does, so it is okay for warmer days too. Similar to a really good tea, I would recommend adding more tea ingredients to make it healthier. It is sweet even after watering it down. A nice treat on a cool day.
Food of the Month 