Growing up, my mom always had Constant Comment Tea. I loved the sweetness of the orange, cinnamon and cloves—it was the perk of being sick! So when I got a cold this week I decided to make my own.
Embarrassingly, it had never occurred to me that “tea” was a blend of different plants and spices until I got sick while visiting my in laws in Puerto Rico back in 2006. For me, tea had always come in a package and I never gave any thought about where it came from. Sad, I know! My mother in law, who is a master at growing everything, went out to the back yard, took down a few leaves (lemongrass and guanabana), and put them in a pot with water to boil. Tea!
Here’s my quick at home version of Constant Comment.
Blood Orange Tea
1 blood orange (I used two mini blood oranges that came in my farm box this week, you could also use a regular orange, it just wouldn’t be the pretty red color)
1 small cinnamon stick
5 cloves
half of a lemon
½ t agave
boiling water to fill mug
While waiting for your water to boil, juice the orange and half of the lemon into your mug. Place cinnamon stick, cloves and agave in the mug. Pour boiling water to fill mug and let steep for a minute or two. Enjoy!
Leave a Reply