NAOBC Heritage Orange Tea

One of the beverages served at our What Can I Bring event was supplied by Martha Sirles, our church hostess.  It’s a yummy flavored iced tea, known as Orange Tea.  To make our “Heritage” tea requires the story that makes this an NAOBC favorite across the years.  Martha has been serving this to guests in her home for years and she gives credit for this recipe from our former church historian, Juanita Downing.  Howard and Juanita Downing were members of NAOBC for years and served faithfully as Sunday School teachers and Howard as a deacon.  Both are now sitting at the feet of Jesus, but their Orange Tea lives on.  Juanita referred to this as “Howard’s Orange Tea’ because he would slice oranges to go into the tea.  He would claim this wasn’t as good without the fresh orange slices. Thanks to Amy Pierce, granddaughter of Juanita and Howard for providing the historical details.  What a legacy we have at NAOBC!  Here is the recipe from our 1992 Heritage Cookbook

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Step 1 (making the concentrate)

1 gallon boiling water
8 family-sized tea bags
6 cups of sugar
(makes enough concentrate fro approximately 4 1/2 gallons)

After bringing water to a boil, add tea bags.  Remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 3 hours.  Add sugar; stir until dissolved.

Step 2 (diluted tea)

1 quart concentrate (from Step 1)
1 (6 oz) can frozen lemonade concentrate
Water

To prepare one gallon tea, mix 1 quart concentrate, frozen lemonade concentrate and enough water to fill a gallon container.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Step 3

Put 1 slice orange and ice cubes in each glass.  Fill with diluted tea from Step 2.  Serve and enjoy.

Note:  Some people have successfully substituted other sweeteners for sugar and some have eliminated sweeteners all together.