New York Apple Spice
Caffeine Free Fruit and Herb Tea

Have you ever wondered where New York’s nickname The Big Apple originated? You aren’t alone. The term has been variously attributed to a famous Harlem Jazz club of the 30’s, a popular dance move and an old horse track. The last of these is believed to be the true origin. According to a old time New York reporter, Big Apple was a term coined by traveling stable boys from New Orleans working the New York tracks. Apparently, they loved coming to the city because that’s where the big money was. Evidently the opportunities were so great they began referring to New York as the Big Apple – a place where everyone could get a bite.

Name aside, New York, both the city and State has a long apple tradition. In fact, no fewer than seven apple varieties got their start in NY State – the Acey Mac, Cortland, Empire, Fortune, Jonagold, Jonamac and Macoun. One need only take a country drive around the state to see how engrained the tart crispy fruit is in the psyche of NY. The traditions reach so far back it is believed the first commercial orchards were probably planted by the Dutch settlers of New Amsterdam sometime in the 1700s.

Now, as any good North American will tell you, when there are apples, pie is sure to follow. And as any good tea master will tell you, when you have a superb flavor profile, as you do with apple pie in its marriage of tart crisp apple and delicate spice mélange, a tea blend is sure to follow. We developed New York Apple Spice with the goal of capturing all the fruity nuance of spiced apples and the lush orchards they come from. A pure herb and fruit tea, New York Apple spice offers a character as robust as the city it’s named after and the vitamin and antioxidant power of hibiscus, rosehip and apples. The blend is rounded out by the addition of cinnamon and cloves to add a pointed layer of spice to the cup. Caffeine free and stunning over ice - a spicy cup you’ll want to revisit time and again.

By virtue of the fact that these blends do not contain any tea and are a special blend of fruits and herbs - they are caffeine free!. An additional benefit is that these ‘teas’ contain Vitamin C. What could be better - a healthy drink that tastes GREAT!

Hot tea brewing method: Place 1.5 to 2 teaspoons of New York Apple Spice per cup (and add 1 teaspoon for the pot) into the teapot. Pour boiling water into pot and let it steep for 3-7 minutes (or longer - the longer the steeping time to more intense the flavor becomes). Pour into your cup and add sugar to taste. NOTE: Do not add milk - the milk will curdle due to the ingredients in this blend.

Iced tea brewing method: Do Not Pour Hot Liquid directly into a Glass Pitcher (to make 1 liter/quart): Place 12-15 teaspoons of New York Apple Spice into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].