Cherry Mint Iced Tea Food

BERRY, MELON AND MINT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring 5 cups water and the sugar to a boil in a heavy large saucepan. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the mint. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Cool the tea to room temperature. Strain the tea into a large pitcher or bowl.
• Blend the watermelon and strawberries until smooth in a blender. Stir the fruit mixture into the tea. Add the lemon juice, peppermint and salt. Chill the tea until very cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day. Before serving, add chilled prosecco if using.
• Put a few ice cubes into each of the 6 glasses or water goblets. Add some watermelon, strawberries and the blackberries to each glass. Pour tea into each glass and garnish with mint sprigs and serve, passing lemon wedges.

MINT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Brew tea in boiling water, letting steep for 10 minutes. Pour brewed tea into a serving pitcher. Add sugar and lemon, and swirl in the mint, holding it by the stems and using it to stir and dissolve the sugar. When sugar is dissolved, drop mint into pitcher and add 2 cups cold water. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Strain mint out before serving and serve cold.

CHERRY MINT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Steep the loose tea and mint in the 5 cups of boiling water for 20 minutes.
• Strain the tea mixture and allow to cool on the counter till needed.
• Add the sugar to the remaining 3 cups of boiling water.
• Stir until the sugar is all dissolved.
• Pour the sugar water into a pitcher and place on the counter to cool.
• Once the sugar mixture has cooled add the fruit juices, followed by the tea mixture.
• Chill in the fridge, stir well and serve in a tall glass over ice.
• Garnish with a lemon slice.

CHERRY MINT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Steep the loose tea and mint in the 5 cups of boiling water for 20 minutes.
• Strain the tea mixture and allow to cool on the counter till needed.
• Add the sugar to the remaining 3 cups of boiling water.
• Stir until the sugar is all dissolved.
• Pour the sugar water into a pitcher and place on the counter to cool.
• Once the sugar mixture has cooled add the fruit juices, followed by the tea mixture.
• Chill in the fridge, stir well and serve in a tall glass over ice.
• Garnish with a lemon slice.

BLACK CHERRY ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the black cherries, sugar, lemon juice, star anise and the vanilla bean with its seeds.
• Simmer the cherries over low heat for 15 minutes, crushing them against the side of the pan with a wooden spoon. Remove the cherries from the heat, cover and let stand for 1 hour.
• Strain the cherry juice through a fine sieve into a clean saucepan, pressing on the solids.
• Discard the solids. Bring the cherry juice to a boil over moderate heat. Remove from the heat, add the tea bags and let steep for 5 minutes. Discard the tea bags and let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer the cherry tea to a large pitcher and refrigerate until chilled or for up to 2 days. Serve the tea over ice, garnished with mint sprigs.

BLACK CHERRY ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring water to boil in a medium-sized pot.
• Add cherries, sugar, lemon juice, and star anise.
• Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cherries are almost falling apart.
• Turn off heat, mix in black tea, and let stand for 1 hour to cool.
• Strain liquid through a fine mesh sieve, mashing the cherries with a wooden spoon to extract more liquid.
• Discard solids.
• Transfer liquid to a pitcher and refridgerate until ready to serve.

CUCUMBER-MINT ICED TEA

Steps:

• Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags, mint leaves and half the cucumber slices. Cover and let steep until cool, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the honey and 1/4 cup hot water in a measuring cup and stir until the honey is dissolved.
• Fill a large glass pitcher with ice, 4 sprigs of mint and a few cucumber slices. Strain the cooled tea into the pitcher and discard the mint and cucumbers. Add the honey mixture and 4 cups of and stir to combine.
• To serve, pour the tea into tall glasses full of ice. Garnish each glass with a few sprigs of mint and a couple slices of cucumber.

BLACKBERRY MINT ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large pot, boil 4 cups of water. Remove from heat, tear the mint leaves in half and add to the pitcher along with the tea bags. Stir gently, cover and let steep about 10-15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, Puree blackberries in a blender or food processor, strain into a 2 quart pitcher (discarding pulp and seeds). Strain the water into the pitcher, discarding tea bags and mint. Add in honey, tasting and adjusting to your desired sweetness. Top with cold water to fill, stirring to incorporate.
• Chill for at least 4-6 hours in the refrigerator. Serve over ice and garnish with a mint leaf and some blackberries.