From your experience: adding lemon/orange flavor to black tea*

June 6, 2023 7:05 AM

* when you cannot keep fresh lemons/oranges, juice or zest.

I like the major premium (not cheap) brands of lemon- and orange-flavored black tea (in teabags or loose leaf). In the situation relative to my question, I have very cheap access to a medium grade of plain black tea teabags but handling/storing perishable fruits, zest or juice to add to the tea is not possible. Also drying/preparing fruits in advance is not possible.

I would like to save some serious money while satisfying my craving by not indulging myself on the more expensive lemon/orange teabags.

Options I've identified so far are: dried zest in a spice bottle, Torani syrup, Mio lemonade water additive, essential lemon oil. Likewise for orange.

From your experience, what is the least expensive (non-fresh/perishable) additive to turn mediocre black tea into agreeably flavored, less-mediocre lemon/orange black tea?

posted by zaixfeep to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

Best answer: Not quite the same as fresh juice, but True Lemon and True Orange do a fairly decent job at this.
posted by edencosmic at 7:36 AM on June 6, 2023 [13 favorites]

There's probably a cheaper bulk or generic or homemade version (maybe this, or this), but True Lemon is already pretty cheap.
posted by box at 7:39 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: You could try food-grade citric acid. When I make iced tea in the summer, I have discovered that a pinch or two of citric acid make it taste better and more 'real' than just lemon. It's cheap, non-perishable, and a small bag will last a long time.
posted by nanook at 7:58 AM on June 6, 2023

I would try making a mix of the black tea and dried lemon/orange peels, letting that sit for a bit (a week? a month?) for the flavors to mingle. I've found dried lemon peel in the bulk section at a food co-op, which is usually cheaper than shaker jars for spices. Most of the lemon teas I've seen also use lemon oil, which probably does make the flavor more intense, so you might end up wanting to add a little of that, too.

Alternatively, citric acid may give you the tang. Or mix it with one of your other alternatives to give it a little punch. It's one of the ingredients in True Lemon and is used for canning and cheesemaking.
posted by carrioncomfort at 8:00 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

Best answer: The single serving stuff is shelf stable. Mind you, east of the Elbe it's as basic in supermarkets as single serving coffee creamer, but it seems Amazon provides in the US and elsewhere.
posted by I claim sanctuary at 11:07 AM on June 6, 2023

Bergamot extract, bergamot oil -- source of the lemony citrus flavor in Earl Grey tea
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:12 AM on June 6, 2023

How To Store Lemon Juice For Long Time Without Fridge (from food blog Southindianrecipes.in), if your access to fresh lemons changes:

Mix one cup of water with two tablespoons of salt and two tablespoons of honey in a wide-mouth jar or bottle.
Slice the lemons into rings and place them on top of the mixture.
Put a lid or plastic wrap on the jar and let it sit overnight at room temperature.
The next day, pour off the liquid from the top and use it whenever needed!

The lemon juice mixed with salt, honey, and water will stay fresh for up to six months. The mixture prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause food spoilage due to the high concentration of salt. However, if you want to keep your drink longer, add a bit of alcohol (apple cider vinegar works best) in it.
posted by Iris Gambol at 11:33 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

You 100% want True Lemon and True Orange. I use both of those for exactly this (and for seltzer) on the regular. True Lemon comes in a shaker as well if you don't want to fuss with individual packets.
posted by mosst at 11:56 AM on June 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

Jams and marmalades work great. I have a jar of yuzu tea jam in the fridge, and it lasts for ages. When I lived in LA I got in the habit of buying granulated calamansi and ginger juice that you add to boiling water to make a citrusy-spicy drink and I've not left the practice behind since then.
posted by late afternoon dreaming hotel at 5:44 AM on June 8, 2023 [1 favorite]

I would try making a mix of the black tea and dried lemon/orange peels, letting that sit for a bit (a week? a month?) for the flavors to mingle.

+1 on using dried peel rather than dried zest—it's often cheaper (at stores that sell both—you may be able to find zest at more markets, including some with lower price points) and more flavorful. If you're interested in trying something a little more out there, you could also use dried limes (available at many Middle Eastern markets)!
posted by the tartare yolk at 11:24 AM on June 8, 2023