3 Tea-spirations: Let The Summer Sun Brew Your Iced Tea
Lipton got one thing right about iced tea – the golden beverage is definitely brisk. And while iced tea is undeniably tasty year-round, it’s especially refreshing and fun to brew in the summer.
This simple-to-make beverage is good for you (hello, antioxidants! Both green and black tea can reduce the risk of heart disease and may prevent cancer), and can be tweaked to take on almost any flavor.
Sun tea is probably the simplest, easiest and cheapest summer tea. After all, what deck is complete without a large, glass container filled with sun tea? You can make sun tea with pretty much any tea variety. Black, green, white and ginger, as well as many other tea types work great. Here’s OA’s tried-and-true way to make a basic sun tea:
Ingredients
Method
Combine the tea and water.
Place in direct sunlight for 4 to 6 hours.
After tea’s finished brewing in the rays, bring in and flavor to your liking.
Herb Infused Sun Tea
Spice any sun tea by brewing with herbs. Measure 1/4-1/2 cup of dried herbs to 4-5 cups of distilled water. Roots and seeds flavor tea more than leaves and flowers. If you’re using dried herbs, you’ll need to use two times the amount than you would if you were using fresh. Some unique herb combinations to try:
Strawberry leaves with woodruff.
Tea Hybrids
Tea is one of those magnificent beverages that tastes wonderful when combined with other cool summer drinks (think fresh squeezed lemonade, organic fruit juice, etc.).Some tea combinations to try:
Rosemary-Laced Lemonade Tea: Mix fresh lemonade with tangerine or orange flavored white tea. Add rosemary.
Homemade Peach Iced Tea: Combine peach puree with fresh brewed sun tea to create a fruity and fresh summer cocktail.
Resources:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/sun-tea-recipes-zmaz75jazgoe.aspx?page=2
Image: jrandallc
