Four Seasons of Iced Tea
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 1/2 gallon water
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 4 cups fresh mint leaves, loosely packed (about 3 ounces)
- 8-10 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
- 8-10 lemon wedges, trimmed and seeded, for garnish
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 7 1/2 cups water
- 4 berry-flavored tea bags, such as Red Berry Zinger
- 2 cups strawberries, blueberries, or a combination, leaves removed
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 8-10 strawberries
- 8-10 lemon wedges, trimmed and seeded, for garnish
- 1/2 gallon water
- 8 green tea bags
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 8-10 lemon wedges, trimmed and seeded, for garnish
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1/4 cup green cardamom pods
- 2 teaspoons anise seeds
- 2 teaspoons coriander seeds
- 8 cinnamon sticks
- 9 cups water
- 6 tablespoons sugar
- 10 Darjeeling tea bags
- 8-10 lime wedges, for garnish
- Do ahead: Tea can be made up to two days ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
- For Spring: Fresh Mint Iced Tea:
- In a medium saucepan, bring water to a simmer.
- Add sugar and mint leaves.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- Strain and discard mint leaves.
- Stir in lemon juice.
- Chill.
- Fill glasses halfway with ice and add tea.
- Garnish each glass with a mint spring and a lemon wedge.
- For Summer: Iced Berry Tea:
- In a medium pot, heat water to a simmer.
- Remove from heat and add tea bags.
- Allow tea to steep 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags and allow to cool.
- In a food processor or blender, combine berries, sugar, and lemon juice.
- Process until pureed, then strain mixture to remove any seeds.
- Transfer seeded, pureed fruit to a bowl.
- Add cooled tea and stir.
- Pass tea through a fine strainer, pressing berries against mesh to extract liquid.
- Chill.
- Pour over ice into pitcher or directly into ice-filled glasses.
- Garnish with a whole strawberry and a lemon wedge.
- For Fall: Iced Honey-Sweetened Green Tea:
- In a 3-quart pot, bring water to just boiling.
- Remove from heat and add tea bags, allowing them to steep for 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags and gently press to squeeze out liquid.
- Add honey while tea is still warm.
- Chill tea or at least 2 hours.
- Fill glasses halfway with ice and add tea.
- Garnish with lemon wedge.
- For Winter: Indian Spiced Iced Tea:
- Spread cardamom, anise seeds, and coriander seeds on a cutting board.
- Use the bottom of a heavy pot to lightly bruise seeds and break up cardamom pods.
- Transfer seeds to a medium pot.
- Add cinnamon sticks, water, and sugar.
- Over moderately low heat, simmer very slowly for 30 minutes.
- Add tea bags, turn ff flame, and steep 5 minutes.
- Remove tea bags.
- Allow to cool.
- Fish out cinnamon sticks and reserve for garnish.
- Strain tea through a fine strainer.
- Chill.
- Fill glasses halfway with ice and add tea.
- Garnish each glass with a cinnamon stick and a lime wedge.
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Taken from www.cookstr.com/recipes/four-seasons-of-iced-tea (may not work)