Any time is right for iced tea

Fall Tea Recipes

By Kathryn Rem

GateHouse News Service

Tue Sep 16, 2008, 11:22 AM PDT

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SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -

Just because the temperature outside is dropping doesn’t mean you have to put the iced tea pitcher away. It’s a beverage that can be enjoyed year-round, especially if it’s kicked up with unexpected flavors.

Black currant is the top choice of Shannon Brooks, co-owner of tearoom Tea-Licious in Springfield.

“If you’re going to use a flavored teabag, I suggest orange pekoe or black currant,” she said, noting their intense, crisp, fruit flavors.

But additives can punch up tea, too. Brooks stirs in flavored syrups.

“One of our most popular is coconut. In the summer, we sell a lot of peach and watermelon tea,” she said. She uses Torani syrups for flavoring. (They are sold at Tea-Licious and some grocery and specialty stores.)

Classic iced tea isn’t hard to make. Here are instructions, courtesy of Cook’s Illustrated magazine:

Heat 5 tea bags and 1 quart of water in medium saucepan over medium heat until dark-colored, very steamy and small bubbles form on bottom and sides of pan, 10 to 15 minutes. (An instant-read thermometer will register about 190 degrees.)

Off heat, steep for 3 minutes (no longer or tea may become bitter). Remove and discard tea bags; pour tea into pitcher.

Stir in 1 to 6 tablespoons sugar, if desired, until sugar is dissolved and desired sweetness is reached. Stir in a quart of ice cubes until melted. (For stronger tea, reduce ice to 3 cups.) Serve in ice-filled glasses garnished with lemon slices.

Alternately, Brooks suggests heating the water in a pan or teapot and then pouring it over the teabags and letting it steep for an hour or more. She also cautions about using plastic pitchers.

“Put it in a glass pitcher. A lot of people put it in plastic pitchers, but it leaves an odd taste sometimes.”

Hot tea can turn cloudy when cooled too quickly.

“The best way to let it cool is to let it sit out at room temperature. If you put it in the refrigerator too soon, it clouds up,” Brooks said.

When consumed without milk, sugar or other additions, tea has no calories. It’s a natural source of antioxidants, called flavonoids, which help to reinforce the natural defenses of the body. And it pairs well with other flavors.

“There are all kinds of way you can jazz it up,” Brooks said.

Recipes are from Lipton Tea.

Rosemary-Laced Lemonade Tea

1 bottle (16 ounces) white tea with tangerine
2 cups chilled lemonade
2 large sprigs fresh rosemary (about 6 inches each)

In glass pitcher, combine all ingredients. With wooden spoon, crush rosemary against side of pitcher. Chill at least 1 hour. Serve in ice-filled glasses and garnish, if desired, with additional rosemary.
Variation: For a refreshing summertime cocktail, stir in 1/4 cup vodka.

Makes 4 servings.

Sparkling Sangria Tea

3 cups boiling water
2 family-size tea bags or 5 regular-size tea bags
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups chilled purple grape juice
1 medium orange, sliced
1 medium lemon, sliced
1 medium lime, sliced
Chilled club soda

In teapot, pour boiling water over tea bags; cover and brew 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and squeeze; stir in sugar and cool.
In large pitcher, combine tea with remaining ingredients except soda; chill at least 2 hours. Just before serving, add a splash of soda. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish, if desired, with additional orange, lemon and lime slices.

Makes 8 servings.

Mint-Tea Lemonade

2 cups boiling water
6 mint tea bags
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups prepared lemonade
1 small lemon, sliced

Pour boiling water over tea bags; cover and brew 5 minutes.
Remove tea bags and squeeze. Stir in sugar until dissolved; cool.
In pitcher, combine all ingredients. Serve over ice.

Makes 5 servings.

Basil Mo-Tea-Tos

1 large lime, quartered
6 large fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup sugar
1 bottle (16 ounces) green tea with honey
1 cup light rum
1 cup chilled seltzer

In glass pitcher, squeeze lime, then add basil and sugar. With wooden spoon, thoroughly crush against side of pitcher; add lime rinds. Stir in tea and rum. Just before serving, add seltzer and pour into ice-filled glasses. Garnish, if desired, with additional basil leaves.
Makes 4 servings.

Strawberry Frostea

4 cups ice cubes
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
3/4 cup lemon iced tea mix
1/2 cup water
In blender, combine all ingredients. Process until smooth. Serve in tall glasses and garnish, if desired, with fresh mint sprigs.
Makes 6 servings.

Mango Tea Slushie

1/3 cup green tea with honey and lemon iced tea mix
1 can (12 ounces) mango or papaya nectar
1/3 cup water
4 cups ice cubes

In blender, add all ingredients; process until smooth. Serve immediately. Garnish, if desired, with mint. Use more iced tea mix if a sweeter flavor is desired.

Makes 4 servings.

White Tea Island Mango & Peach Sangria

2 cups boiling water
6 white tea with mango and peach tea bags
1/4 cup sugar
2 cups pineapple juice
1 cup sliced mango
1 cup raspberries
1 cup sliced peaches
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup orange liqueur

Pour boiling water over tea bags; cover and brew 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and squeeze, then stir in sugar; chill.
In large pitcher, combine tea with remaining ingredients. Chill 2 hours.

Makes 8 servings.

Kathryn Rem can be reached at kathryn.rem@sj-r.com or (217) 788-1520.

Ridgecrest Tea Meetup Group

Ridgecrest Tea Meetup Group Meet other local tea lovers! Talk about and share brews from around the world! Free Tea Samples and lots of other tea treats provided and special events planned throughout the year. Our Fall and Winter Meetups will include yummy gourmet chocolate samples and lots of cool giveaways.

Ridgecrest Tea October Meetup Tuesday, October 21, 2008 at 7:00PM Hello everyone, Welcome to the new Ridgecrest Tea Group. For now we will meet at Botany's Desire and as time goes by we can decide as a group to meet at various locations. We will enjoy the company of some really fun and interesting men and women who enjoy drinking tea and sampling new blends that I am considering for the boutique. You will enjoy an unlimited amount of tastings as well as yummy tea treats and desserts. We will also offer all participants the opportunity to win some really nice goodies. Price: $5.00 See the full event details, including location, at http://tea.meetup.com/195/calendar/8773049/.

Chocolate with your Tea

Two of my favorite treats all in one. Nesting season is on its way and I can't think of a better treat to stock up on for the season. Just imagine yourself curled up on your favorite chair with a good book curled up next to your fireplace, and sipping your favorite cup of hot tea and a delicious tea infused chocolate bar from Smiles Chocolatier. Available now at Botany's Desire

$7.00 - Chocolate Tea Bars

Fall Nesting Drinks ...Coming next week

Tea Lover's of Ridgecrest September Meetup

http://tea.meetup.com/195/calendar/8614964/

We are having our first Tea Lover's Meetup event
September 16th at 6:30pm at Botany's Desire.
For more information and to sign-up click on the link
above. We look foward to seeing you there.

SerendipiTea Tea Company

Ok, I must admit I am also a package junkie. It is always the packaging that catches my attention first and then I find out what else is good about a product. I fell in love with their simple and clean organic looking packaging and then totally fell in love with the actual tea. We have carried the line in the boutique for almost 5 years now. While many other brands have come and gone. Serendiptea is still holding its own.
Each box makes 5o cups of wonderful tea.
Price $12 to $14 per box.

The Tea Shop @ Botany's Desire Boutique

Serendipitea Tea Company...Our #1 selling tea company


So your probably wondering why another blog and why one just on tea. Well, for those of you who are already customers of Botany's Desire you already now why. For the rest of you, tea just happens to be one of my favorite things after dessert. I actually started started my first website over 10 years ago based on my love of tea. While working for Whole Foods at the same time I began studying tea and its relation to health as well as beauty from various indigenous cultures around the world.

Not only did I begin creating several of my own drinking blends but I also began incorporating the use of tea and herbs into my natural skincare recipes. I found tea to be a wonderful and healthy alternative to other beverages. Since then I have created many recipes using teas from all over the world. I plan to use this blog to share with you all my discoveries on the use of tea in everyday life.

Currently at Botany's Desire we carry a large selection of teas and tisanes. We probably have the most unique and organic variety of tea anywhere in Ridgecrest. Coming this fall and winter we plan to expand our tea selection with more than 100 new flavors and varieties and all the yummy treats that go so well with our teas.