It's been 80 degrees in DC all this week. Considering I'm a northern California native (anything over 65 is hot to me), I'm pregnant, and the heat is still on in my building, we're sweltering. We've been mainlining iced tea at our place.A lot of times when I have others' homemade iced tea it's either too sweet or too bitter or (when my husband makes it) it just tastes like sweet water. Yuck. Here's how I make restaurant quality iced tea. (Taught to me by my mom who grew up in southern Louisiana, where they know their sweet tea.)
Steep six tea bags in four cups of recently boiled water for at least twenty minutes. (You can heat your water in the microwave if it's too hot to turn the stove on for the kettle.) The longer you steep the tea, the better. I think most people don't steep their tea long enough. Pour the four cups of tea into a pitcher with 1/2 cup of sugar (or Splenda, as we've been doing recently) and stir vigorously until sweetener is completely dissolved. Add enough ice to make 2 quarts. Refrigerate and enjoy.
Now, if you're like me, you'll be tempted to use the cheapest store brand tea, but don't do it. Tea quality makes a big difference to your final outcome. My preferred brands are Community (which is hard to find outside of the South), Luzianne, and good ol' Lipton. (Sadly, no one paid me to write my opinion on any of those.)
We've been going through tea so quickly that as soon as I get a pitcher made, I start steeping tea for the next batch, or as in the picture above, the next two batches.
Steep six tea bags in four cups of recently boiled water for at least twenty minutes. (You can heat your water in the microwave if it's too hot to turn the stove on for the kettle.) The longer you steep the tea, the better. I think most people don't steep their tea long enough. Pour the four cups of tea into a pitcher with 1/2 cup of sugar (or Splenda, as we've been doing recently) and stir vigorously until sweetener is completely dissolved. Add enough ice to make 2 quarts. Refrigerate and enjoy.
Now, if you're like me, you'll be tempted to use the cheapest store brand tea, but don't do it. Tea quality makes a big difference to your final outcome. My preferred brands are Community (which is hard to find outside of the South), Luzianne, and good ol' Lipton. (Sadly, no one paid me to write my opinion on any of those.)
We've been going through tea so quickly that as soon as I get a pitcher made, I start steeping tea for the next batch, or as in the picture above, the next two batches.
How funny that both of our moms grew up in southern Louisiana and taught us all about sweet tea! Where is your mom from, if you don't mind me asking?
ReplyDeleteHow funny that both of our moms grew up in southern Louisiana and taught us all about sweet tea! Where is your mom from, if you don't mind me asking?
ReplyDeleteLake Charles.
ReplyDelete