As the temperature and humidity spike in New York, cool beverages are the order of the day. Here’s an easy iced tea you can sip all afternoon long.
For two quarts of tea, I generally use three black tea bags to one herbal bag. The herbal tea lightens the flavor a bit. You can use any variety here: jasmine, melon, mint, lemon for the herbal; Earl Grey or English Breakfast for the black.
A few tips and tricks:
-You don’t want to let the tea bags steep too long, or too much tannin will be drawn out and the tea will be bitter.
-Drink it within a day or two, as the flavors go dull if the tea sits around too long.
-If you want to sweeten the tea with sugar, make a simple syrup (boil sugar in water to dissolve) first. Then add to the tea. This way the sugar won’t all end up at the bottom of the pitcher.
-Add flavoring while the tea steeps for more flavor: cinnamon sticks, lemon peel, mint leaves. Or, once the tea cools, add 1 cup of juice, such as apple, cranberry or pomegranate.
Here’s a recipe for an easy Earl Grey iced tea.
Ingredients:
2 quarts water
3 Earl Grey tea bags
1 Jasmine tea bag (or other herbal variety)
3 Tablespoons honey
Pour water in saucepan; bring to a boil. Add tea bags and remove from heat. Add honey and let steep for five minutes. Remove tea bags and let cool until almost at room temperature. Chill tea (I leave it in the saucepan) in refrigerator. Once it has cooled, serve over ice.
Garnish with a lemon or some mint leaves.
