This is a post for people who don't know how to make their own iced tea. It's not a fancy recipe or anything, but really simple! This is the best drink (in my opinion) for those super hot summer days. The way I make it, there's no sugar added, so it's not only refreshing, but healthy too!
Ingredients: Tea (whatever kind you like! I have an enormous collection of various loose-leafed teas ranging from black to green to white to herbal to oolong to rooibos to mate... you get the picture)
Use a tea that tastes fantastic on its own. I used David's Tea's "Hot Lips" for the tea in the picture. It's a cinnamon green tea.
Step 1: Using a mug or a glass measuring cup, make your tea at double its usual concentration. I use a metal infuser in a measuring cup, and scoop two spoons instead of just one. If you're using tea bags, use two tea bags in one cup.
*note* if you're making green tea or white tea, let the boiling water cool down a bit before pouring it over the tea. You don't want to burn the tea and make it bitter!
Step 2: Add the hot (boiling or slightly cooler) water to the measuring cup or mug. Let the tea infuse for 4-6minutes.
Step 3: Using a decent sized glass, fill it up all the way with ice cubes. ALL THE WAY! Don't worry, there will be room for your tea in there! I used heart-shaped ice cubes because they're cute.
Step 4: After your tea has been infusing for 4-6 minutes, remove the tea bags/infuser. Poor the double-concentrated tea over the ice cube cup. Most of the ice cubes will melt, making enough room for the tea.
Step 5: Shake or stir the iced tea to get it all down to the same temperature. Add more ice if you need too.
Step 6: Drink it up! Isn't it delicious?
Some Katherine Tips: I would suggest using flavoured teas for iced tea. You can use straight black tea of course, but you may find it bitter if you're used to drinking sugary iced tea from nestea or liptons or whatever. I like making iced tea with fruity herbal teas.
If you do want to add sugar or honey to this tea, add it to the hot concentrate. If you try to add it to the tea once its over ice, your sugar/honey will not dissolve nearly as well.
If you like planning ahead for things in life in general, you could make a larger batch of tea concentrate and keep it in your fridge. I would suggest not making it double concentrate like above, but instead just slightly stronger than usual. Since you'll be using this one while its cold and not hot, you will not require as much ice in your cup (since the cold water won't melt the ice...) and so it won't get as diluted as above, and it could be super icky.
I don't plan ahead for things. I like to make each cup as I want it, even if that means waiting 4-6min for the tea to steep!
My favourite teas for icing: I actually worked for a Davids Tea for a couple of months last year, and I live close to one, so most of my teas are from there. Just so you know.
I like: Forever Nuts, Pink Flamingo (if it's still available?), Bamboozled, Long Life Oolong
Those are the only ones I can think of off the top of my head right now (or the ones I have in my cupboard!)
I hope that you find this post helpful! Enjoy your tea!
