When the temperatures are soaring and the humidity is high a glass of cold, brisk iced tea hits the spot. It is really easy to make. Keep a pitcher in the fridge always ready to quench your thirst or serve to guests.
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Iced tea is a refreshing beverage, especially during the summer months. And it is so easy to modify to make it is just how you like. Add sugar while preparing or sweeten it by the glass when served. It is even good without sugar, if you are okay with that.
Brisk Iced Tea How-to:
Heat water just to boiling
Bring 4 cups of fresh, cold water just to a boil using a kettle or pot. While waiting for the water to boil, remove the tags from 6-7 regular-size tea bags.
Pour the hot the water over the tea bags in the pitcher. This should fill the pitcher about 1/3 full. Steep the tea
Allow to steep on the counter 30-60 minutes. 
While the tea is steeping, rinse the mint.
When the tea is cool, remove the tea bags. Don’t squeeze the tea bags, just spoon them out and discard. Sweetening the ice tea
Add desired amount of sugar and stir until dissolved. 
Add additional cold water to fill the pitcher 2/3 to 3/4 full. Obviously, the less water you add the stronger the tea.
Squeeze in the juice of 1/4 to 1/2 a lemon. Oranges can be substituted for the lemon and is my favorite way to make iced tea. 
If you like mint, add it now. Rub the leaves between your fingers in the iced tea to release the oils and flavor the tea. 
Add a few lemon slices for garnish.
Serve the tea chilled in tall cold glasses and garnish with a fresh lemon or orange slice and maybe an additional small mint leaf, if desired.I think the iced tea is best made each morning to serve at dinnertime.
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Brisk Iced Tea
INGREDIENTS
- 6-7 regular- size tea bags (more if you like your tea extra strong)
- 4 cups cold water plus additional cold water
- Granulated sugar if you like sweetened ice tea. I prefer lightly sweetened using a rounded 1/4-cup scoop
- Fresh lemon/orange (squeezed juice and slices/wedges for garnish)
- Mint sprigs.
DIRECTIONS
- Bring 4 cups of fresh, cold water just to a boil using a kettle or pot. Water that is boiled too long will produce a flat tasting tea.
- Add 6-7 regular-size tea bags (regular or decaffeinated) with the tags cut off to a gallon-size, heat-resistant pitcher.
- Pour the hot the water over the tea bags in the pitcher. This should fill the pitcher about 1/3 full.
- Allow to steep on the counter for maybe 30-60 minutes to steep (sometimes I leave it for several hours). Some say steeping too long makes the tea bitter but I haven’t noticed a problem.
- Remove the tea bags. Don’t squeeze the tea bags as that will release too much tannic acid.
- Add sugar and stir until dissolved. I prefer iced tea less sweet but many prefer to add more sugar. It’s up to you. 3/4-1 cup of sugar makes a nice sweet tea. I have recently substituted Splenda for sugar and enjoyed it.
- Add additional cold water to fill pitcher 2/3-3/4 full.
- Squeeze in the juice of 1/4 to 1/2 a lemon or orange (my favorite) and drop in a few slices just because it looks pretty floating in the pitcher.
- Add mint and rub the leaves between your fingers in the iced tea to release the oils and flavor the tea. Add as few as three leaves or more depending on how much mint taste you want. I don’t remove the leaves from the tea but you can.
- Refrigerate until cold.
- Serve the tea in tall cold glasses over ice and garnish with fresh lemon or orange slice and maybe a small mint leaf, if desired.
NOTE:
I prefer to serve and store iced tea in a glass pitcher but make it in a plastic or heat-resistant container so the boiling water doesn’t break the glass. Also be careful when stirring a glass pitcher with a metal spoon or use a wooden spoon for safety.
Growing mint
Common garden mint
You can easily grow mint in a pot or in the garden and it has a wonderful fragrance. It is a perennial plant and returns each year. Mint can be invasive so it is best to contain it by growing in a large-ish pot in a sunny location. Mint roots easily by snipping a 3-4-inch piece and placing in a glass of water. Place in indirect light and it will quickly sprout roots. Plant in potting soil or share with friends 🙂
Spearmint for a little stronger flavor
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And for summertime meals and entertaining…
Summertime dessert suggestions…
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