June is National Iced Tea Month. I have often wondered why July or August were not designated as the National Iced Tea Month. June's weather is often mild compared to July and August when temperatures rise and we are sweating profusely and seeking ice cold refreshments!
Staying hydrated in hot weather is important. Finding healthy beverages, besides water, that contain few additives and don't have a high sugar content, can be challenging. Iced tea meets this critieria!
Some of our flavored black and green teas make excellent iced teas; Cranberry Breeze, Arctic Raspberry, Shanghai Lime, Strawberry Cream Green. ( All them are so yummy!)
Most of us have made "Sun-Tea" without any issues, however, according to the Center For Disease Control, using the sun to make tea can promote bacteria growth. There are a few guidelines on the following website if you insist on making Sun-Tea. http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp
Our Perfect Iced Tea recipe below uses boiled water which is a safer alternative to Sun-Tea. Brew and enjoy the summer months with the second most consumed beverage in the world...tea!
Perfect Iced Tea
For 2 quarts (1/2 gallon)
In a 6 cup teapot, place an infuser filled with 12 heaping teaspoons of tea.
Fill the teapot with water heated to 195 degrees.
Steep for 5 minutes.
Remove the infuser.
In a 2 quart container fill 1/2 with ice
Pour tea over ice
Add cold water if needed to make 1/2 gallon of great iced tea !!
Happy Iced Infusions,
Kate
I don't like iced tea. :O( My mother-in-law loves making the sun tea. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness...what do you drink in the summertime?
ReplyDeleteI guess growing up with parents from the South I was introduced to iced tea...very Sweet Iced Tea... at a very young age! So, it's really part of my heritage! Can't imagine a summer day without it!
I didn't know that about sun tea (possible bacteria). I've always made tea with boiling water, and then put ice in it to cool it down. Maybe that's because I started making tea when I lived in Europe, and that's how they all do it.
ReplyDelete