I realize that you may be looking at this picture of iced tea and this post with its recipe for iced tea and think I have lost my mind. Really? A recipe for iced tea?Well, I happen to know for certain that some people don't know how to make iced tea. Maybe you are one of them. There's no shame in it. But, a good glass of iced tea is so easy to come by, I just had to share here. I make a pitcher every day and it is one of life's greatest cheap pleasures. A sprig of mint, or a slice of lemon and you have a little glass of heaven.
The recipe for simple syrup is below as well. It's a great alternative to sugar because sugar rarely dissolves completely in iced tea. It takes only a minute and I just keep it in a cream pitcher or salad dressing carafe.
Brewed Iced Tea
1 qt. water
4 to 5 tea bags (depends on how strong you like your tea)
1 qt. ice cubes
simple syrup* or sweetener
lemon slices or mint sprigs
Place 1 quart of water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil. Turn off heat.
Place tea bags in water and steep for 3 minutes
(color does not indicate flavor,
so leave the bags in for three minutes even if the tea is already colored).
Remove bags and place ice in a 2-quart pitcher.
Pour tea over ice and enjoy.
*Simple syrup
1 qt. water
4 to 5 tea bags (depends on how strong you like your tea)
1 qt. ice cubes
simple syrup* or sweetener
lemon slices or mint sprigs
Place 1 quart of water in a saucepan.
Bring to a boil. Turn off heat.
Place tea bags in water and steep for 3 minutes
(color does not indicate flavor,
so leave the bags in for three minutes even if the tea is already colored).
Remove bags and place ice in a 2-quart pitcher.
Pour tea over ice and enjoy.
*Simple syrup
1 cup sugar
1/2 c water
Place sugar in bottom of small saucepan.
Pour water on top and stir.
Place over medium heat and heat just until sugar dissolves.
Cool.
Mixture is cloudy when you first combine sugar and water.
1/2 c water
Place sugar in bottom of small saucepan.
Pour water on top and stir.
Place over medium heat and heat just until sugar dissolves.
Cool.
Mixture is cloudy when you first combine sugar and water.
When mixture becomes clear it is ready --you don't need to boil it, just heat until it's clear.
.
3 comments:
I have always brewed my tea. (No Texas girl would dare serve instant!) I usually add the sugar after brewing before pouring over ice. That way it dissolves nicely without making the tea chewy. I might have to try your simply syrup idea.
It must be my southern roots that dictate that I brew my tea, Matilda! And I, too, add sugar to the warm tea if I'm not drinking it. But, I use Equal in mine, hence the need to have simple syrup around. It's nice to have when you're serving a crowd too, because you never who likes it sweet.
I love tea, iced or hot. I happen to have planted mint in my garden this year and we have some fresh lemons. I like mixing different flavored teas too.
We make sun tea a lot so I let the sun do the work, but I'm going to try your syrup. That sounds perfect. Thank you so much!
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