Introduction: Fizzy Apples & Tea
I've always enjoyed dipping things into other, wetter things and a few years ago I made an amazing discovery. Dropping apple slices into a cup of tea creates little fizzy bubbles and adds flavor to both the apples and the tea. This is a great snack-drink for autumn apple season, and also the other seasons.
Step 1: Supplies
1. A couple crunchy, sweet apples. My go-to is usually Fuji apples.
2. Spices. I use ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. You could also use whole cloves and cinnamon sticks, and maybe a cardamom pod.
3. Loose black tea. Teabags work, too. My mother-in-law gave me some delicious French Damman tea called 4 Fruits Rouges, but I've also used regular English Breakfast from Trader Joe's.
4. Small saucepan with lid (not pictured).
5. Peeler.
6. Chopping knife.
7. Teapot & cups (not pictured).
Step 2: Prep the Apples
Peel the skins into the saucepan and set the apples aside. Add the spices. I go heavy on the cinnamon and light on the nutmeg and cloves, but this is up to your personal preference and very hard to get wrong.
Step 3: Cook the Peels
Add a couple cups of water to the peels and spices and set the saucepan on medium flame. Cover once the steam begins to rise and cook for about 5-10 minutes.
Step 4: Chop the Apples
The key here is to maximize the surface area to volume ratio, so that the apples produce more fizz once dropped in the tea. Cut long, thin slices.
Step 5: Make the Tea
Rinse the teapot with boiling water to prep it for the tea. Add the tea leaves and pour the apple peel mixture into the pot. You can always add more tea or boiling water if you want to make a fuller pot.
Step 6: Add the Apples
Drop in the apple slices and watch them fizz. I like to fish them out and eat them as I'm drinking the tea.