Fruity and Frugal Pineapple Tea

White, green, oolong or black, I’ve never had much of a taste for tea. Its appeal eluded my senses; most of what I sampled was either extremely bitter or flavorless. Some herbal concoctions (which aren’t even tea at all) tasted so earthy that I’d wonder if I hadn’t been served my beverage in a dirty cup.
But then the funky fruit-infused teas arrived on the market and I realized I did like tea.
Or did I like sugar?
The initial offerings of bottled fruity teas were nothing more than sugar bombs in disguise. I’d have one occasionally as a treat, but never did learn to enjoy the taste of unadulterated tea.
These days, there are loads of naturally fruit-flavored teas to choose from that are minimally sweet (just enough to cover up that dirty water flavor) with only a few calories. But, I’m thrifty; so I still consider them a treat and drink mostly water.
Then I saw a recipe for DIY fruit infused tea made from the skin and core of a fresh pineapple. Fruity and frugal? Perfect!
All you do is cut a pineapple as usual, but save the skin and core. Chop the skin and core into smaller pieces and dump the whole mess into a large pan. Add enough water to cover the peel by an inch. Next, add a few allspice berries, a stick of cinnamon and a couple of pieces of star anise if you want. Bring to a boil and then simmer for an hour on super low heat. Add a few tea bags (black or green), let steep for 20 minutes or until desired strength, strain and chill.

This easy recipe is a win-win. There is absolutely no waste, plus you get to eat the fresh pineapple! Use it as a garnish, toss in some pineapple “ice cubes” or make this yummy pineapple upside down cake instead.



Do you know what enzyme is found in the core of a pineapple? Bromelain is a beneficial digestive enzyme that is also used to reduce inflammation from sprains, strains and other minor muscle injuries. All the more reason to sip on some of the good stuff! —Karen