The only thing I want to drink in summer is good iced tea. Okay, so I’ll deviate from my norm on occasion, but not often.
And the only thing that will do for my iced tea is Luzianne, the package with the larger bags made especially for iced tea. I’ve tried making more exotic varieties, but they never satisfy me — well, except for iced tea made with Celestial Seasonings Black Raspberry. Even worse, in summer, I gauge the quality of my restaurants by their iced tea. If it isn’t just right, I won’t be returning.
This is my process: I take my pretty glass carafe and hang one Luzianne bag over the edge. Then I heat water to boiling in my ancient Bodum electric teapot. That water fills the carafe not quite 3/4s of the way. I let it steep for maybe ten minutes, remove the bag and add cold water — not ice, but cold water. And it’s always perfect.
This and good watermelon (of which we’re supposedly now suffering a shortage) and a perfectly ripe just picked tomato with a little salt and some good mayo are, for me, summer perfection on a 100+ degree day.
3 Comments
biscuit,
I always like Luzianne, too! However, my Mother made Lipton loose tea into sweet ice tea all through my childhood. I still have the tin container she kept the tea in.
Lately, I’ve been drinking pomegranate/cranberry juice. Seems to be popular up here. I also like Cascade Ice. I don’t know if you can get it there. It’s not too sweet and really tasty, stuff like Pink Grapefruit, Blackberry/Raspberry, Lemon Ice. All are sparkling water with natural juice. Do I sound like a commercial? I hope not. I don’t like sodas, so this is an occasional treat.
I like your ritual. It makes it more special, doesn’t it?
AAARRRGGGHHH! It’s 4:30PM and 89 here! It’s going to be a hot 4th!
I love sparkling waters with natural juice! I’ll look for Cascade Ice.
I just picked my most glorious Sungold tomatoes yet. This is my third (or fourth?) year growing them, and I’ve finally figured out exactly the right moment to pick them: in the evening when the stem end is a beautiful deep pinkish red, but only if I haven’t watered yet. Mmmm – perfection! I’m going to get a little blue cheese to pair them with.
As for sweet tea, I’m scared of it. I’m scared I’ll become addicted.
I think I’m one of the only people here who doesn’t drink sweet tea.
No. Spouse and I always order unsweetened iced tea when we go out. What’s really funny is that west of Texas, if you order it unsweetened, they look at you funny and burst out laughing. Sweet tea is positively a Southern thing.
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