Summer Fruits in a Lemon Verbena and Mint Tea

• 12 cup sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 1 orange, juice and zest of
• 1 vanilla bean, split
• 1 12 tablespoons loose earl gray tea leaves
• 6 fresh lemon verbena leaves, thinly sliced (or 1 tsp minced fresh lemongrass)
• 12 mint leaves, thinly sliced
• summer fruit or berries

1. Bring sugar and water to a boil over high heat.
2. place remaining ingredients except fruit in a large bowl and pour hot syrup over.
3. Let steep until cool then strain through a fine mesh sieve.
4. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until cold.
5. Dice fruits, leave berries whole.
6. Place 1/2 cup of fruit in a shallow soup bowl and ladle 1 cup of tea over the berries.
7. Garnish with sprig of mint or lemon verbena and serve with a wild blueberry financier or other almond cookie if desired.

sugar, water, lemon, orange, vanilla bean, earl gray, lemon verbena leaves, mint, summer fruit

Taken from www.food.com/recipe/summer-fruits-in-a-lemon-verbena-and-mint-tea-310323 (may not work)