Surely you have heard of American coffee, but what about American tea? If this is the first time you have come across this concept, continue reading and you will discover a very simple recipe to prepare this tasty variant.
Simply put, American tea is an infusion in which milk is used instead of water. As you read, the idea is to steep the tea in hot milk to get all its flavor. Thus, a creamier drink with a milder flavor than normal tea is achieved. Would you like to try it?
How to prepare an American tea
As usual, there are different variants to prepare a rich American tea. As a general rule, it is made from black tea (Darjeeling, Assam, Ceylon or the one you like the most), milk and spices. Let’s see, then, the ingredients and the step by step.
First of all, it is necessary to define what kind of tea we will use. As we have already mentioned, the most common and classic choice is black tea due to its strong flavor. Of course, you can choose the variety that you like the most.
Another important point to consider is whether to use bagged or loose tea. We particularly like to use tea leaves since their properties, oils and aromas are unaltered, unlike what usually happens with bagged tea, which is mainly made from broken leaves and dust. Of course, the choice is yours: it is entirely possible to make rich American tea from tea bags.
Ingredients
- 1 bag of black tea or 4 g of black tea leaves (depending on the variety chosen).
- 200 ml of milk.
- 1 cinnamon stick.
- 1 piece of about 3 cm of lemon skin (being careful not to have the white part).
Elaboration
- Heat the milk to 90 – 95ยบ C with the cinnamon and lemon peel (previously washed). Keep in mind that if the milk boils, on the one hand, it will make the tea bitter, and on the other hand, it will form cream on top. Pay special attention to temperature to get the best flavors from your American tea
- Infuse your black tea for the time recommended by the seller. Usually, 4 minutes of rest are recommended in the case of black tea to prevent it from becoming bitter or accentuating its astringency.
- Strain, serve and taste.
Note: If you wish, you can sprinkle your American tea with cinnamon, it will give it a different touch, in addition to enhancing its flavor and aroma.
Other ways to prepare American tea
For cold nights, you can add a liquor (whiskey works especially well) to your American tea. A good idea is to opt for the orange liqueur that combines very well with the flavors of cinnamon and lemon. A splash will suffice before drinking it. Some people even add a bit of chocolate liqueur.
You can also choose other varieties of tea to prepare your American tea. Among them, we recommend opting for an Earl Gray or an English Breakfast or perhaps a spiced tea. Milk goes very well with cardamom, vanilla and cloves so any tea that includes them can be a good combination.
What if you want to use green tea, for example, to prepare your American tea? Of course you can, but keep in mind that the milk masks the flavor of the tea a bit, so it’s always best to opt for a stronger variety.
What do you think about the idea? These cold winter days, do not hesitate and prepare a tasty American tea, accompanied by some butter cookies, it will delight children and adults.
How did American tea come about?
Tea came to the United States in the 17th century, supposedly from Dutch importers and, later, from the English. Little by little, the drink became popular in society: rich and poor, city and country people enjoyed a good hot cup of tea.
The problem appeared towards the end of the century, when the British parliament decided to increase the tax on imported tea. American society refused to pay more and the tea culture was slightly affected. However, today, tea is again very popular. In fact, while the tea culture in the UK and the US is similar in many ways, it’s worth noting that Americans tend to be more adventurous and willing to try more flavors than the English.
Now, how was American tea born? The reality is that history is not clear. In fact, it is impossible to find reliable references about its creation, its creator or the place where it was made for the first time. Some sources point out that American tea was born from a mistake by infusing the tea directly into milk, while others suggest that the person who first brewed it this way did so on purpose.
Whatever the true story, the reality is that today we can enjoy a different and delicious flavor, regardless of whether it was a mistake or not.