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This sweet pineapple tea is made from peels, ends, and trimmings that would otherwise be thrown. It blends warming spices with the peels and can be served as is or with extra sweeteners—white, light cane sugar, and light brown sugar work well to add sweetness without taking away the essence of the fruit. If your pineapple is really sweet, reduce the sugar or replace it with your preferred alternative sweetener. As a result, the drink is spicy and refreshing.
This is ideal for making in huge quantities. You can save your peels and freeze them until you're ready to create the drink—just adjust the ingredients accordingly. It's delicious on ice, in punches and sangria, and heated as tea.
Ingredients-
• 1 pineapple, clean, with crown removed
• 10 cups water
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 6 to 8 whole cloves
• 1 (4- to 6-inch) peeled and chopped into bits of fresh ginger
Method-
1. Collect all of the components.
2. Place your chopping board on a clean baking dish to catch any spilt fluids. Place the pineapple on the board. Turn it on its side and chop off the bottom and top. Set them aside.
3. Place the pineapple on the base. Peel the peel in strips from top to bottom until all of it is peeled. You can be lavish with the flesh you remove and also remove the eyes. Keep the peels aside.
4. Slice the flesh off opposite ends of the fruit, then repeat with the other sides. Keep the core aside.
5. In a large pot, combine the top, base, peels, and core.
6. Combine the brown sugar, vanilla essence, cinnamon stick, cloves, and 8 cups of water in a mixing bowl.
7. Combine the ginger and 1 cup of water in a blender. Blend for 30 to 45 seconds at medium speed, or until thick and the fibres are broken down. Place the mixture in the pot with the pineapple peels and rinse with the remaining 1 cup of water.
8. 12 to 15 minutes over medium-high heat, bring to a boil.
9. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes, tasting halfway. At that point, gently press down on the skins to break up the meat and release more pineapple flavour.
10. Turn off the heat and allow the juice to cool.
11. Once cold, strain the liquid through a fine sieve/strainer, discarding the particles. You could also strain the mixture using a cheesecloth/nut milk bag.
12. Refrigerate after transferring to bottles. A portion of the sediment will sink to the bottom.
13. When ready to consume, heat up slightly or pour on ice.
