russian spiced tea

Brrrr…. it’s very cold and icy in Chicago.  Stay warm this Christmas with this spiced Russian Friendship Tea infused with cloves, cinnamon, and fruit juices.  It’s an excellent blend of tastes and aromas to warm your guests the second they walk in the door.






This tea was all Katrina’s idea.  She once had a freshly made cup during her travels abroad, and thought it would be the perfect drink for Christmas.  It is definitely something unique to serve your guests.  I can’t say I’ve ever had tea mixed with this much fruit juice.  I was a skeptic at first, but now I’m in love with this drink.  Try it for yourself!


spiced russian friendship tea


ingredients (makes 3-1/2 qts.):

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  • 1 qt. pineapple juice
  • 1 qt. orange juice (no pulp)
  • 4 oz. frozen lemon juice concentrate
  • 1-1/2 qts. boiling water (6 cups)
  • 6 bags of tea
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks
  • 10-12 whole cloves

directions:

  1. Steep tea in boiling water with cloves and cinnamon, approximately 5 minutes.  Use a strainer to remove tea bags and spices.  Set used cinnamon sticks aside to dry.
  2. Stir fruit juices together in a large pitcher.  Mix in sugar until dissolved and add hot tea.
  3. Serve in teacups with a cinnamon stick garnish.


As you can see, this is a very simple drink to make.  I didn’t have a large enough pitcher so I used our small crock pot instead.  The crock pot was put on its warming setting to keep the tea hot throughout the day.  The tea is tasty hot or cold, so do what you want!


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