Makes four 6-ounce servings
Hot turmeric tea is popular these days for its health benefits. Here’s a sweetened chilled or room-temp version with lots of fragrant spices—a great afternoon quencher. Fresh turmeric shows up even in our rural New England supermarkets—it looks sort of like a carrot version of ginger. Using the fresh variety is important here. Wrap any unused pieces of turmeric in paper towels, seal in a plastic bag, and store in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.
1 small orange or tangerine, quartered and seeded
Three 2-inch pieces fresh turmeric root, peeled and roughly chopped
One 4-inch cinnamon stick, broken into a few large pieces
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons black peppercorns, optional
¼ teaspoon table salt
Boiling water
Thinly sliced orange rounds, for serving
1. Place everything in a 32- to 34-ounce French press. Fill with boiling water, stirring until the honey dissolves. Set the plunger and lid in place without pressing down; steep at room temperature for 15 minutes.
2. Press the plunger down, pushing a bit to extract more juice from the orange. If desired, place an orange round in each glass or cup before pouring in the infusion. Serve at room temperature or over ice in tall glasses.