It's so easy to make iced tea that I can't see spending money on another appliance just to do that, or even worse, buying it already made. People have made iced tea for years (probably centuries) without the aid of a plug in contraption that eats electricity and counter space.
Anyway, here's how, and it's a lot easier and faster to do than it is to tell about it.
First, if you can find it, buy loose leaf tea. It's much better for iced tea. It has a fuller flavor, and it keeps better in the refrigerator.
You'll need a small pan to boil water, a strainer of some kind - cheese cloth or a handled fine mesh strainer will work. You'll also need some tea, sugar if you like it sweet, water, a jar or glass pitcher and a long handled spoon.
Put a cup or so of water on to boil and meanwhile get your jar ready. If you're going to use sugar, put it in the jar now. For sweet tea, southern style, use about a cup of sugar for a gallon of tea, but adjust it to your own taste.
Put some cold water into this, a couple of cup's worth, and mix the sugar into it. Use the cold water even if you don't use sugar, to keep the hot water from cracking the jar.
When the water boils, remove the pan from the stove. For each quart of tea, add a scant tablespoon of looseleaf tea (four per gallon). Cover the pan and let the tea steep for 10 - 15 minutes.
Strain the tea into the jar or pitcher, add cold water to fill, and stir.
This is the best and most frugal tea you'll ever drink.
I live in Florida, and while visiting my mom, I found a "solar tea" jar at a junk shop for 25 cents = ). I just plop in a few teabags, and set that baby out in the sun. In a few hours, I have some delicious tea, which is great, since we finally managed to kick the soda habit here completely! Love your blog!
ReplyDeleteI've made solar tea, too, but it's not as good as brewed tea, in my opinion. I come from a long line of southern tea drinkers. ;)
ReplyDeleteThanks! I actually had someone give me an icetea maker once. It was more work than just making tea and icing it. Personally, I like the solar tea because I prefer my tea like my friends...extremely bitter. I lived in Kentucky briefly and never did get used to sweet tea. Loved the barbecue though!
ReplyDeleteI use an old odd-sized sprouting jar to make sun tea. Can't find a lid to match so just use wide-mouth lid and few inches of plastic wrap. I'm using up some tea bags I got as a gift, but otherwise would use loose tea. I use filtered water. Then put the jar in the sunniest place in my yard, and in three hours of so have delicious and not-ever-bitter sun tea. I remove the bags and store in the fridge. Very frugal yummy thirst-quencher.
ReplyDeleteI really need to try this as I've never heard of sun tea. Can't wait to do it~
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