Basic Sweet Tea Black Tea Food

PERFECT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Hot-Brewed:
• Bring 8 cups water to a simmer; remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons loose tea or 6 tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags. Let cool, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate.
• Cold-Brewed:
• Combine 8 cups cold water and 6 tablespoons loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags.
• Sweet Teas:
• Combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and add 1 infuser, if desired. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (you'll get about 1 cup).
• Orange Add 6 strips zest
• Blackberries 1 cup
• Cinnamon 2 sticks
• Lavender 3 tablespoons dried
• Vanilla 1 halved bean
• Mint 3 sprigs
• Ginger 1 cup sliced
• Lemon 8 strips zest
• Nectarine 1 cup chopped
• Cucumber 2 cups chopped

SMOOTH SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Sprinkle a pinch of baking soda into a 64-ounce, heat-proof, glass pitcher. Pour in boiling water, and add tea bags. Cover, and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
• Remove tea bags, and discard; stir in sugar until dissolved. Pour in cool water, then refrigerate until cold.

BASIC SWEET TEA (BLACK TEA)

Steps:

• Put the ice aside in a container or pitcher that can withstand the hot tea without breaking and put it in the fridge while you're brewing.
• Bring the 40 oz. of water to a boil in a pot. Place the teabags in the boiling water, and allow them to brew for 2 to 3 minutes while the water boils. When the water has brewed to an oily, reddish-brown, appearance (after 2 to 3 minutes).
• Remove the tea bags from the pot, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cup of cane sugar. It will dissolve almost instantly into the tea. Allow it to stand for a minute as your retrieve the container/pitcher.
• Carefully pour the brewed tea into the container. It will melt most of the ice instantly, evening out the temperature so that the tea does not damage the container. Chill the tea further before serving.

BASIC SWEET TEA (GREEN TEA)

Steps:

• Put the ice aside in a container or pitcher that can withstand the hot tea without breaking and put it in the fridge while you're brewing.
• Heat the 40 oz. of water in a pot, but not to a boil. It should be able to produce steam, but should not be boiling (boiling water overbrews green tea). Place the teabags in the hot water, and allow them to brew for 1 to 2 minutes while maintaining the current heat (hot but not boiling). Do not let the tea brew too long or it will end up too bitter.
• Remove the tea bags from the pot, remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cup of cane sugar. It will dissolve almost instantly into the tea. Allow it to stand for a minute as your retrieve the container/pitcher.
• Carefully pour the brewed tea into the container. It will melt most of the ice instantly, evening out the temperature so that the tea does not damage the container. Chill the tea further before serving.

SWEET TEA

Steps:

• Infuse loose tea into hot water for 4 to 5 minutes. Strain tea into room temperature water. Sweeten with simple syrup if desired.
• For simple syrup, in a small non-reactive pot combine 5 cups of sugar and 3 cups of cold water. Slowly bring to a boil and add 6 sliced lemons and a few sprigs of fresh mint. Remove from heat. Allow to cool 10 minutes and strain.