recipe for hot citrus tea punch elixir

Turq and the ElixirI received a request a while ago for this recipe. As the weather has been beastly off and on, hither and yon, this is a nice thing to have brewing on your stove whilst the drip and the wet happens outside. The drips seems to be happening internally for a lot of people this winter, as well — the stuff could be a nice alternative to a Hot Toddy. Let’s face it, hot sugared alcohol is like an organic Nyquil. Hey! good name.

I give you:

Becky’s Organic Nyquil

Ingredients:

  • 4 tea bags: Bengal Spice, Orange & Spice, Lemon Ginger, Clove Blend, or anything spicy and delicious to you, in any combination. I recommend non-caffeinated.
  • 1 quart apple juice, fresh or concentrated
  • 1 quart orange juice, fresh or concentrated
  • 2 or 3 cups lemonade
  • 3 or 4 cinnamon sticks
  • Nutmeg
  • 2 cups any other juice (berry? limeade? mango? guava? pomegranate?)
  • Sugar
  • Oranges
  • Apples
  • Rum or brandy [optional, of course]

Stick a couple cups of water in a big ol’ pot, put the tea bags in, and fire her up — you are now brewing a superconcentrated flavor elixir. Remove the bags. Add about 2/3rds of the apple and orange juices and a cup of lemonade. Put in the cinnamon sticks and whisk in some nutmeg. Warm it up and have a taste. How is it so far? Too citrusy? Put some more apple juice in. Too tea-y? Put some more apple juice in, and maybe a little sugar. Kind of blah? Put more spice and/or some other juices in, see what develops. A berry punch makes a nice taste in there. If it all seems too watery, add a shot of straight juice concentrate.

One you get the right balance, cover and let simmer as long as you like. It all gets better as time goes. Slice some oranges and dice some apples, put them in there. However, the oranges and apples do cook and disintegrate eventually, causing some sediment and bits in the punch. Some people like that, some don’t. You might want to peel the oranges so that imbibers don’t have to spit out rinds, discreetly, into their napkins. Or maybe you want to go the distance and do some straining before serving.

Ladle out the punch, have your guests put a shot of booze into their cups if they want, and raise your glasses to the SUPER CITRUS TEA PUNCH! aka ORGANIC NYQUIL!

As the punch keeps getting drunk up, just keep adding and heating juice, yes, now you’re on a roll! What a host!

[photo: i believe it’s time for more. i may have created this entire post just to put this picture up! cute t!]

3 Comments

  1. cardiogirl on January 31, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    please don’t forsake me. Let me leave a comment!



  2. cardiogirl on January 31, 2008 at 12:38 pm

    Be still my beating heart. OMG! I don’t know what to say! Now that I can comment with abandon I have nothing useful to say. I am so happy to be back in your good graces hamblog. Oh how I have missed you!



  3. Violet on February 1, 2008 at 7:58 pm

    Hooray, organic Nyquil!! Hooray, tree-trimming party!! XOXOX