This traditional Turkish apple tea is made from fresh apples, which only ment to infuse the drink/water and then ment to be discarded. But, by ‘discarding’ I certainly don’t mean throwing in the bin! I also use the frozen apple tea ice cubes to make iced teas or add it to my breakfast smoothies. What to do with the discarded apples You can use lemon juice, lemon zest or citric acid for an authentic taste. Alternatively, you can also use lime juice or concentrated lemon or lime juice, although I find that freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice is always nicer. Citric or Malic Acid (optional – instead of lemon juice) They are very inexpensive to buy and last a long time, which means it’s quite handy to have them at home especially if you like making lemonades or iced teas. I also often use them for traditional sweet making, fruit curds, jams or marmalade making, so there are plenty of uses for these ingredients. There is also quite a bit of sugar to add sweetness and then lemon (or citric acid) to add zing and a bit of sourness. Ingredients & Possible Substitutions Apple

Add the honey first (or your choice of sweetener such as golden syrup or golden syrup alternatives), taste it and then add the lemon to adjust the flavour. What I also sometimes do, is to make concentrated apple tea (basically just half the amount of the water), leave it to cool down and then pour it into a ice cube tray (or ice cube bag maker) and freeze the concentrated tea for later.You can also leave the apple tea to cool down completely, chill in in the fridge (or pour over a few ice cubes in a glass) and serve cold. Other uses for apple tea To use citric or malic acid, just add a few crystals into the hot drink and let and them dissolve. Taste and add more if needed as a little goes a long way and you only want to sharpen the flavour of the apple, but not make it too strong. Extra Tip I remember that we used to dry apple pieces during summer and made them into tea in the winter in exactly the same way. I don’t think we added cinnamon, but that’s the only difference. Turkish apple tea served in shops is usually made from tea granules, tea crystals or tea powders. Tea crystals have a texture and color resembling light muscovado sugar, but both the color and texture can vary. Sometimes, this instant apple tea can look like a white powder but it will still dissolve into a yellow-brown drink. Tea Origins I sometimes add a dash of whisky in, especially on a cold autumn evening. It’s the perfect hot drink for late summer or autumn garden parties and of course a great drink for the autumn and winter season.

Harking to the old days of face-to-face interaction, indulging in daily rituals of tea drinking in Turkey is personal and, in most cases of strangers, the beginning of beautiful friendships. Tea even has a Turkish love proverb. “Sevmek Çay Gibidir Sevilmek Seker Bizim Gibi Garibanlar Çayi Sekersiz” Meaning “To love is like tea, to be loved is like sugar. The poor like us drink their tea without sugar.” The Best of Turkish Tea To make the most delicious homemade Turkish apple tea, always use fresh apples. You can use any type, but sweet apples are a wonderful choice if you don’t want to add any sweetener. Alternatively, you may use any type of apple you have at hand, or even use different types for making one drink. Tea Ingredients Ideally you want to drink your tea fresh once it’s made. But if you’ve made to much and you can’t finish the tea straightaway, you can leave it to cool down and then keep it in the fridge (covered) for 2-3 days. Instant apple tea is usually made by just dissolving powder in hot (or even cold) water and will always taste the same. But the real apple tea will often include spices. To make a cup of apple tea, you will need: Traditionally this apple tea is drank hot and served in a small tulip shaped glasses. You can of course use any kind of suitable glass mug or regular mug for tea.The discarded apples can be kept in the fridge for 2-3 days (covered and in the suitable container) or can be frozen once cooled down and kept for up to 3 months in the freezer.

You can buy apple tea powder or granules and simply dissolve them in a hot water, but I think it’s nice to make the drink authentically and start from the real ingredients!Regional Food Dishes: Any first-time visitor to Turkey who assumes kebabs are an everyday feast is misinformed. Thousands of traditional dishes across Turkey associate with specific regions and are well respected for production, excellent ingredients, and diversity from standard recipes. If food is your passion in life, a culinary tour of Turkey’s cuisine alongside tasting tea or coffee is highly recommended. Another seasonal flavour is a hint of alcohol – something like an apple cider, rum or even dash of whisky would work really well with this recipe.

This tea is made from dried apple pieces, which are infused in a hot water with some cinnamon. The tea is traditionally served in small tulip like glasses on a tray with a spoon and sugar cubes on the side. Depending on what type of apple you use, you might get a different flavour finish. I normally go for dark red apples, but green apples are lovely too. Bring the water to boil, turn down the heat and carry on simmering for a minimum of 10-15 minutes to allow the apples to infuse the water.Add lemon juice or citric acid to bring all the flavours together and taste again. You should get a strong apple flavour with the sweetness of the honey and a sharp lemon flavour too. How to serve traditional Turkish hot apple tea Wash and cut apples into small pieces or grate it. If you are using organic apples, you don’t need to peel the skin. You can also use apple tea instead of water in any pancake recipe and add some cinnamon to apple pancakes. If you happen to make more apple tea than you need, you can also use it as a liquid instead of water in bread or fruit scones or add it to your morning smoothie (especially if it’s non-dairy based as the lemon or citric acid in this apple tea might curdle the milk or yoghurt). I then use one or two frozen apple tea cubes to make a fresh hot (or cold) drink by pouring hot water over it and make it into an instant hot apple drink!