By Elizabeth Urbach, San Jose Tea Examiner
Did you know that June is known as Iced Tea Month among tea-lovers? With the beginning of summer comes the perfect weather for a refreshing glass of iced tea. Although there is no reason to become bored with good old iced tea – because of the wide range of flavored teas commercially available – tea can be used to make many other cold beverages, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Alcohol-free beverages include punches, virgin cocktails or “mocktails”, spritzers, and of course, the ever-popular Arnold Palmer. Named for one of the most famous California golfers, an Arnold Palmer is nothing more than iced tea and lemonade mixed together in equal parts. It is one of my favorite ways to drink iced tea in the summer! You can also add things like rose water, orange flower water, and simple syrups flavored with mint, orange peel or other fruits to your iced tea for more variation.
Here are two of my favorite non-alcoholic tea recipes. They are simple, tasty and refreshing! They’re also perfect beverages to serve at summer barbecues, because they’re safe and healthy for everyone, and tasty enough to delight adults.
Green Tea Soda:
ice
1 1/2 oz. green tea syrup (3 tablespoons)
1 liter club soda.
To make syrup: steep 2 bags of green tea in 1 cup boiling water for 5 minutes. Discard bags & add 1 cup granulated sugar. Stir until dissolved. Let cool & refrigerate for up to 1 week.
To make soda: mix syrup and ice with club soda in a glass.
- from Sauce Box, Portland Oregon, The Oregonian
Pomegranite Tea Punch:
2 parts peach-flavored tea with rose petals*, brewed and chilled
2 parts lemon-flavored, sweetened club soda or lemon soft drink, chilled
1 part pomegranite juice, chilled
Mix the iced tea and juice thoroughly and chill. Just before serving, pour into a punch bowl and add the lemon soda, also chilled. Add ice and garnish with nasturtiums or other edible flowers, and lemon slices. *The recommended tea for this recipe is the Bloomsbury Afternoon blend from The Ladies’ Tea Guild but any peach-flavored black tea, combined with a few teaspoons of rose water or fresh organic rose petals, can be substituted.
– from Elizabeth Urbach, Director of The South Bay Ladies’ Tea Guild.
