Mark National Iced Tea Month With A Cold One

By Melissa Wiley in Food on Jun 5, 2012 3:20PM

Somewhat predictably, June is National Iced Tea Month. Perhaps equally predictably, the time-honored pairing of balmy temps and chilled tea is one hackneyed tradition we can easily get on board with, meaning we’re not beyond sipping our weight in the refreshing beverage while languishing the better part of a Sunday afternoon away on a lawn chair with a Neil Gaiman novel for company. This month also marks the dawn of raspberry season, so we see no reason not to add an aromatic third wheel while we’re at it and make ourselves a raspberry tea elixir for those times—like now—when life is simply lived better on the veranda. (No, we don’t have a veranda either, but one can dream.)

Here’s a sweet and simple recipe for this timeless summertime thirst quencher. This particular concoction makes six to eight glasses, which you should feel free to sip away all to yourself if you so desire.

Raspberry Iced Tea

3 and a half cups of cold water
4 cups of boiling water
8 regular-size tea bags
3 cups of fresh raspberries
1 and a half cups of white sugar
Lots (and lots) of ice cubes

First, give the raspberries some sugar, mixing the berries and sugar together and then spooning the whole mess into a pitcher. In a large saucepan, add boiling water to the tea bags and steep for four to five minutes before pouring into the pitcher with the raspberries. Leave the tea and berries to mingle for about an hour. Then strain and return the raspberry-infused tea to its rightful pitcher. Finally, add the cold water and chill for at least an hour before serving on the rocks and working your tan to a tawny golden brown.