Ingredients

• 3 orange pekoe tea bags
• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fennel seeds
• 4 plums (about 1 pound), pitted and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups water
• Garnish: plum slices

Instructions

1. Put tea bags in a quart-size glass measure or heatproof bowl.
2. In a saucepan brings 4 cups water just to a boil and pour over tea bags. Steep tea 5 minutes and remove tea bags. Cool tea and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.
3. While tea is cooling, in saucepan stir together fennel seeds, plums, and remaining 2 cups water and boil 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a sieve into a heatproof pitcher, pressing hard on solids. Cool mixture and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.
4. Stir in tea and syrup. Serve tea over ice in tall glasses and garnish with plum slices.
5. To make simple syrup: In a saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring, and boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Let syrup cool and chill, covered. Syrup may be made 2 weeks ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 2 cups.
6. In a saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring, and boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Let syrup cool and chill, covered. Syrup may be made 2 weeks ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 2 cups.