Tea is the second most widely consumed beverage around the world, surpassed only by water. Iced tea's history began during the sweltering heat of the 1904 World's Fair in St. Louis and illustrates the ingenuity for which Americans are famous. One resourceful vendor whose hot tea was not selling well poured the brew over ice and it was an instant hit that has never lost its popularity.
Whether you use herbs and spices alone or brew them with black, green or oolong tea, making herbal iced tea is simple. Start with fresh cold water and bring to a boil. Place herb leaves or flowers in a tea ball or muslin tea bag. Use 1 heaping teaspoon of dried herbs or 1 tablespoon of fresh herbs per cup of boiling water, 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons per quart of water or 1/3 to 1/2 cup per gallon of water. Make your tea a little stronger than you would hot tea because the ice will dilute the flavor. You can also brew the tea in the sun or make it in an automatic iced-tea maker.
Be creative and experiment with teas to please yourself and your family, or use whatever herbs are plentiful in your garden.
Below is a list of herbs grouped according to flavor. Choose one flavor or group of flavors to dominate, then add flavors from another group as an accent. Use about 3 parts of your dominate ingredient(s) to 1 part of accent herbs. Fruit juices, honey or sugar may be added after steeping for extra flavor.
*Spicy flavors: cloves, cinnamon, allspice, cinnamon basil, anise seed
*Fruity flavors: lemongrass, lemon verbena, citrus zest, chamomile, pineapple sage, lemon thyme, ginger root, raspberry leaves, lemon basil
*Floral flavors: hibiscus, rose hips, rose petals, lavender, jasmine
*Minty flavors: bee balm, peppermint, spearmint, catnip
*Herbal flavors: rosemary, marjoram, sage, savory, parsley, yarrow, hyssop
Apple-Mint Iced Tea
Makes 1 quart
1 quart water
6 teaspoons black tea or 6 regular tea bags
1 cup fresh peppermint leaves (or 1/2 cup dried)
2 cups apple juice
2 Tbsp honey (only if using unsweetened apple juice)
Fresh sprig of mint and an apple slice for garnish
by Judy Burger
