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Across the Fence:  ICE TEA recipes please  |
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bohemiangel
True Blue Farmgirl
2087 Posts
Bridget
Ligonier
pa
USA
2087 Posts |
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
 Posted - May 27 2008 : 06:09:08 AM
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Hi Bridget,
I'm a Northern transplant to Virginia, and when I married into a Southern family a few decades ago, I learned to make iced tea this way.
Fill a medium saucepan 3/4 full with cold water and six tea bags (or 2-3 family size tea bags). Rip the little paper tag and staple off the teabags, then tie the strings together at the ends with a single knot. You can grab all six strings aat the same time and do this in a quick pull, twist and tie motion. Let the water heat to just boiling (or you can let it boil for a couple of minutes, just depends on your preference.) Let the tea cool a bit before adding to your pitcher, especially glass pitchers.
Have a plastic or glass pitcher ready, with the desired amount of sugar if you like it sweet. We used to add about a 1/4 cup sugar per pitcher, but we have been using less sugar lately, or just leaving it unsweetened. Pluck the tea bags out (this is where having them tied together saves work)and discard them. Pour the cooled tea into the pitcher, stir to melt sugar if you've used it, then fill the rest of the pitcher up with cold water. Stir again, and serve over glasses filled with ice cubes.
You can get fancy and add lemon or mint or other flavorings, but this is the basic Southern Iced Tea as I learned to make it.
Jo
"Wish I had time to work with herbs all day!" |
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Sitnalta
True Blue Farmgirl
4208 Posts
Jessica
NJ
USA
4208 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 07:07:37 AM
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Well, I learned to make Southern Iced Tea too, but it isn't quit the same as Virginias.:)
You brew 8 tea bags in about 2 cups of water. Microwave for 8 minutes or on the stove until boiling. Let sit until only warm to the touch.Drain tossing out tea bags.... Put that in your pitcher and add 2 cups of sugar(this is per gallon) ( I know this is a lot, but the South is all about sweet!)Then fill the pitcher all the way up. You will have to stir really well because being as the sugar is so much, it will take a bit to dissolve.
Nothing special..this is just our normal everyday drinking iced tea. :)
hugs jess
When life sends storms, remember to dance in the rain!
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nitere
True Blue Farmgirl
482 Posts
Amy
Hickory
NC
USA
482 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 07:15:08 AM
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i make tea similar to Jo, varying the amount of tea bags based on the type of tea i am using and i use a about 2/3 cup of sugar. my biggest tip is when you steep the tea bags in the boiling water, DO NOT press the tea bags before removing them from the water (some people do this to get the liquid out). If you do squeeze the bags, it will make your tea bitter.
farmgirl sister #37
http://www.buraellen.blogspot.com |
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Sitnalta
True Blue Farmgirl
4208 Posts
Jessica
NJ
USA
4208 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 07:15:41 AM
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Just happened to think on it too...I use the same 2cups sugar to 8 tea bags for Raspberry iced tea and brew a couple of mint leaves in sometimes. So yummy...especially for a mid afternoon summertime tea.
yum yum!!
jess
When life sends storms, remember to dance in the rain!
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gafarmwoman
True Blue Farmgirl
244 Posts
Pam
Georgia
USA
244 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 07:33:07 AM
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Now ladies, for real down south ice tea, here is what I learned to do when I was knee high to a knat.
I put 2-3 family size tea bags in a 2 quart size sauce pan and almost fill it to the top with water. I pull the tags and staples off like Jessie(who learned real good southern ways there). When the tea gets to a boil, I put a small pinch of baking soda in. It takes any bitterness of the tea out and makes is a deep dark color. Turn off the heat and let the tea set at least 5 minutes but longer is better to get the full flavor out. Put 1 cup of sugar in a gallon pitcher,the brewed tea, and finish filling with water. You can also leave a little water out and put a tray of ice in and have instant cool tea.
A little piece of lemon in the glass really sets it off good too.
Now I make green ice tea. I use 4 bags of the lemon/ginseng green tea and brew the same way for 1/2 gallon tea with about 1/4 cup of sugar. It is good too. I also put just a little bitty pinch of baking soda in the green tea.
Now, the baking soda was handed down by my Grandma,(a long,long time ago) so you all don't be telling the family secret now.Lol..
Have a good day.
...Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference... ~Robert Frost~
Life on a Southern Farm
http://georgiafarmwoman.blogspot.com |
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La Patite Ferme
True Blue Farmgirl
623 Posts
Jenn
CA
USA
623 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 08:28:57 AM
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Our family are iced tea nuts. Mom and dad prefer plain ole black tea, but I like flavored teas. I make it similar to our southern farmgurls, but sometimes I make sun tea. The only difference is I use 1/2 black tea like Liptons or Tetley and then add equal amounts of the floavored tea bags. Right now I've been using Raspberry Spice tea bags, but I also love Blueberry or Mango or mint. Gives the tea a nice refreshing flavor.
Sometimes I make Arnold Palmers which is 1/2 tea and 1/2 lemonade.
It's fun figuring out which is you favorite. |
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babysmama
True Blue Farmgirl
931 Posts
Elizabeth
Iowa
931 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 08:32:16 AM
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I never make iced tea, just sun tea. Buy a sun tea jar at the store (the kind with the little pour spouts at the bottom...mine was $4) and fill with water. Add 4-6 tea bags of whatever type of tea you like (I do green tea, black tea, or sometimes red raspberry leaf tea) and sit it out in the sun all day. Put in the fridge and enjoy!
-Elizabeth |
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KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 08:36:45 AM
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I'm sure it's not a proper way to make tea, but since I'm the only one who drinks it, I like it just fine :). I use chamomile tea bags (5 usually), boil the water, pour over bags in pitcher, add a "bouquet" of mint leaves and lemon verbena and a couple of slices of lemon and let that sit for as long as you want. Sweeten with honey and remove the green stuff and the lemon slices. Refrigerate. Very good refresher after working in the garden on a warm day.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
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4forMe
True Blue Farmgirl
166 Posts
Dawn
Easton
MD
166 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 08:37:22 AM
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I boil a quart size pan full of water, remove boiling water from the heat, add 6 tea bags tied together, staples and tag removed, cover and allow it to steep until warm to touch. Remove the tea bags and dump the tea into a gallon sized pitcher. We like our tea sweet so I use 1 cup of sugar and stir, then fill the rest of the way up with cold water from the faucet.
I add a slice of lemon to my glass of tea, DH likes it without lemon. Oh, and I use Lipton tea bags.
Sewing, knitting, gardening mom of 4. |
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Back Home Again
True Blue Farmgirl
584 Posts
Audrey
Albuquerque
New Mexico
USA
584 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 09:13:02 AM
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Those of us from the Southwest make our ice tea using the Sun Tea method! A recipe I have used for years is:
Ingredients....Makes 1 Gallon
1 oz tea, bagged or loose (I usually use bagged)
1 gallon water
1 sunny day!!
Fresh mint sprigs or citrus slices, for garnish
Directions:
1. Place the tea in a lidded jar that will hold at least one gallon. Fill the jar with a gallon of water, and tighten the lid.
2. Place the jar in a sunny spot outdoors and allow the tea to brew for four hours.
3. ENJOY!!
Until Later,
Audrey
~ Side by side or miles apart....dear friends are always close to the heart ~ |
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Hideaway Farmgirl
True Blue Farmgirl
1553 Posts
Jo
Virginia
USA
1553 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 11:38:44 AM
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Can you belienve, I had forgotten all about making Sun Tea ... I used to do that a lot in my younger days. I'll have to start that up again with the warm weather here.
It's great to see how similar, or different, our tea making processes are!
Jo
"Wish I had time to work with herbs all day!" |
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ddmashayekhi
True Blue Farmgirl
4742 Posts
Dawn
Naperville
Illinois
USA
4742 Posts |
Posted - May 27 2008 : 12:40:23 PM
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This isn't an iced tea recipe but I made a rhubarb lemonade over the weekend and it was delicious. Bring to a boil 6 1/2 cups of water & 3/4 cups of sugar, add 4 1/2 cups of chopped rhubarb to the boiling water/sugar mix for 5 minutes. Strain in a large pitcher & let the rhubarb drain over the pitcher for 10 minutes, (don't mash rhubarb). Add juice from one lemon & stir. Serve chilled over ice cubes. Delicious & refreshing! A great way to use a bumper crop of rhubarb too!
Dawn in IL |
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bohemiangel
True Blue Farmgirl
2087 Posts
Bridget
Ligonier
pa
USA
2087 Posts |
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Betty J.
True Blue Farmgirl
1403 Posts
Betty
Pasco
WA
USA
1403 Posts |
Posted - May 28 2008 : 07:47:40 AM
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I rarely purchase lemons, so lemons in my iced tea don't happen. However, I found that lemons can be sliced and placed in a single layer on a pan in the freezer, frozen and placed in a zippy bag. Keeps the tea cold and also gives the lemon flavor. Works for me!
Betty |
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Across the Fence: ICE TEA recipes please |
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ICE TEA recipes please
