Whether you call it iced tea or sweet tea, one thing is for certain. Summer is the perfect time to enjoy a nice cold glass of the stuff, especially since June is considered National Ice Tea Month. With that said, here are five of the best ways to make a glass of tea:
I am a Yankee by birthright and a southern belle by zip code. So when it comes to tea, I find myself deliriously happy whether it’s served sweetened or unsweetened. Just don’t tell my neighbors that. Upon moving to Southeast Georgia a few years ago, I quickly learned that when ordering tea in restaurants, only the term “sweet tea” will do. To ask for a glass of unsweeted ice tea is seen as downright treasonous in some parts. So what’s the difference between the two varieties you may ask? It’s sugar y’all and you better include a lot of it.
Spiked Tea
Ah, the famed Long Island Ice Tea. It is absolutely perfect when only an adult version of the brew will do. In order to make one, you’ll need five different kinds of alcohol, lemons, cola and iced tea. If you’re not a fan of the Long Island variety, there are plenty of other spiked tea options to choose from. Most versions I know of contain rum.
Flavored Syrups
Sugar isn’t the only thing that makes a wicked glass of tea. You may also opt to jazz it up with a few extra flavorings. In most cases, the flavorings are part of a simple syrup. There are a lot of different flavor enhancers to choose from. Among them are Chai spice, raspberry, rosemary and lime. You may opt to purchase bottles of flavored simple syrups or make your own. It isn’t all that hard to do. Personally, raspberry and lime are two of my favorites.
Some call it Arnold Palmer tea. Others call it half and half. Either way, in my book it tastes good. For those of you not familiar with it, it is a 50 – 50 blend of tea and lemonade. You may opt to make your own or buy it ready-made through your local grocery or convenience store.
When I am feeling lazy and the daytime air temperatures are high, I’ll bust out my sun tea jar and whip up a batch of goodness. All it takes is a box of tagless orange pekoe tea bags and some water. Simply throw the tea bags into the jar, add the water and place the jar onto your back porch for a few hours. Based on my experience, it should take anywhere from two to four hours to brew, depending on the air temperatures. Once it’s done, you can add sugar, lemon or whatever else pleases your palate.
