Mango Tea and Mint Steeping
Tuesday Tip – Make Your Own Iced Tea
Making your own ice tea is easy and will save you a lot of money buying bottled ice tea. Plus, you can determine how much sugar, if any, to add. You can make caffeinated, decaffeinated, green, black, or herbal. Any kind you wish. If you want flavored tea, buy flavored tea, or steep herbs in the hot water as you steep the tea bags. You can also squeeze fresh lemon or lime into the tea. If you want to take your tea on the go, pour some in a Nalgene bottle or water bottle. You could even use a clean glass jar with a screw top lid.
Prep Time: 10 minutes, plus cooling/chilling time
Serves: 8 serving
Ingredients
8 tea bags (any kind you wish – black, green, herbal)
Fresh herb leaves, optional
4 cups (32 ounces) hot water
4 cups (32 ounces) cold water
Sugar, honey, or simple syrup, optional
Ice
Equipment
A large pitcher
Process
Heat 4 cups of water in a saucepan until just boiling. Turn the heat off, add the 8 tea bags, and let them soak for about 5 minutes, or according to directions on the package of tea. Add herb leaves at this time if you wish. Add any sweetener at this time if you want the entire batch sweetened.
After 5 minutes of soaking remove the tea bags and herbs (if using) from the hot water.
Straining Tea
Pour the tea into a large pitcher and add 4 cups of cold water to cool the tea down. Place the pitcher in the refrigerator to chill the tea.
Pour over ice in a glass and serve.
If you want individual glasses sweetened, use simple syrup. One to two tablespoons of simple syrup per 8 ounce glass should be sufficient.
