Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Summer Pleasures # 7 - Ice Tea ..............


I'm a tea lover. I keep a pitcher of ice tea in my refrigerator at all times. I will fill my thermal cup first thing in the morning, then I will keep it full of ice tea and within reach all day long. Nothing seems to quench my thirst like a big glass of tea.

Traditional southern ice tea is super sweet. I don't put sugar in my tea, and I don't like the flavored teas that seem to be popular these days. I prefer plain unsweetened tea. I've been drinking ice tea all my life and it's my beverage of choice all year round.

To make good ice tea, you begin with cold water. As soon as it begins to boil, remove it from the heat and add tea bags (I use two family size for a pitcher). Do not allow the bags to seep more than five minutes or your tea will be bitter. Remove the bags and pour into your pitcher. Add cold water and sugar if you desire. Pour over ice in your glass and enjoy. You now have one of the pleasures of summer!

7 comments:

KathyA said...

I've taken to drinking it all year round. What a treat.

Gilly said...

I don't think ice tea has taken off in the UK, though the supermarkets do sell cartons of the stuff. No, we are all addicted to "proper" tea - a nice cuppa!

Warm the teapot, put in at least two tea bags of good old "Englich" tea, pour on fast boiling water, and let brew, mash or whatever your local word is, for 5 minutes.

Add milk to tea cup, pour out tea (or in reverse order, there is much heated argument over this!) add sugar if you must (ugh!) and there you have it. A cupt that cheers!

No, I don't like these fancy herbal and fruit teas, either. Though green tea is very refreshing and soothing!

Sweet Virginia Breeze said...

Kathy - I keep a pitcher of tea in the fridge year round.

Gilly - When it's really cold, I will drink hot tea - Earl Grey with a little sugar. I have never tried milk in my tea.

Greener Pastures--A City Girl Goes Country said...

Oh, so that's the problem--I've been letting the tea bags sit too long.

This weekend's going to be a hot one. I think I'll make some. I like it homemade too. A little bit of sugar though and lots of ice. Iced coffee is also good.

www.GreenerPastures--ACityGirlGoesCountry.blogspot.com

Anonymous said...

I like ice tea, but actually prefer hot tea. And I do like green tea and some of the other herbal teas. But I won't drink either tea or coffee with sugar. Ugh! And I'm from the deep South. :-)

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