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From the wonderful folk at Penn Herb
Refreshing
Herbal Iced Teas
Whether you're relaxing by the pool, vegetating
in your garden or just chilling at home, on a sultry summer day you know that a glass of
iced tea can be the perfect, refreshing way to cool down. If you're planning a barbecue or
headed to the shore for your well deserved vacation, and you want to treat yourself and
your family to something different and exotic, herbal iced teas are refreshing
alternatives to the caffeinated, high sugar blends. What's more, many beverage herbal teas
possess healthy benefits. With so many naturally-flavored herbs and fruits and spices- the
possibilities are limited only by the imagination. We've collected just a sampling of some
really great fruity, aromatic and spicy recipes for you to try. Enjoy!
Make
Great Homemade Iced Herb Teas
Preparing herbal iced tea is much the same as preparing hot
herbal tea. You may however want to brew a slightly stronger tea to compensate for the
dilution caused by ice cubes. For a stronger flavor, it's suggested that you use more
herbs as opposed to steeping longer (this may produce a bitter flavor).
General Directions For Brewing A Cup. Bring cold water to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons dried herbs to 1 cup of boiling water. Let steep for approximately 3-5 minutes or until desired strength. While steeping, add sweeteners such as honey
General Directions For Brewing A Gallon. Pour 1 quart of boiling water over 2 ounces of dried herb. Steep 6 minutes, strain and stir into 3 quarts of cold water. Serve with ice and honey to taste.
For a unique presentation, you can try adding dried fruit bits such as orange peel for color and flavor or perhaps a thin slice of lemon, orange or lime. How about frozen strawberries? Mmmmmm.
For a really "cool" iced tea idea, we found a great recipe for "Sun Teas"- iced teas slowly and naturally infused by the sun's rays. Simply place a large handful of herb in a large glass bottle with water and set in the sun for 3-6 hours. Make sure the lid's on good and tight. Strain and refrigerate. Use any variety of tea herb!
For Your Summertime Sipping...
There are so many splendid recipes, it was truly a challenge to
limit our choices to the few below. We've noted the sources so you can check out more
beverage ideas for yourself.
Classic Mint Iced Tea (Makes About 4 cups)
Peppermint is a naturally refreshing herb due to its menthol content. It is a well-known
home remedy for relieving digestive complaints such as indigestion, nausea and gas. Peppermint
also has a calming effect. It is sweeter and stronger-flavored than Spearmint, but for a
more complex mint taste you can mix equal parts of both peppermint and spearmint.
4 tablespoons of dried peppermint
1 tablespoon of honey
2 lemon slices, halved
4 sprigs of fresh mint
Bring 4 cups of fresh, cold water to a boil in large, non-reactive pot
(non-aluminum). Turn off heat, stir in peppermint, cover, and let steep for 5 minutes.
Strain through cheesecloth-lined sieve, pressing on herbs with spoon to extract liquid.
Stir in honey until dissolved and let cool. Serve over ice, garnished with a piece of
lemon and sprig of mint.
(Source: Natural Health Magazine, September 2001)
Spicy Tea (Makes About 30
cups)
A zesty twist on regular lemon flavored tea that gives any occasion 'zing'.
1/4 cup dried Lemon Verbena
1/4 cup dried Chamomile
1/4 cup dried Orange Peel
2 tablespoons dried Rosemary
1 3-inch Cinnamon Stick, crushed
Spiced Honey Chamomile
Cooler (Makes 4 servings)
A relaxing blend...perfect ending to a long summer's day.
4 Chamomile tea bags (or approximately 10-12 heaping teaspoons of whole chamomile flowers)
1/2 cup Honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add chamomile, cinnamon, and cloves; let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon and cloves and stir in honey and lemon juice. Place in refrigerator until chilled. Pour over ice and garnish with fresh lemon slices.
(Source: www.honey.com)
Iced Red Rose Tea (Makes About 4 cups)
This blend features one of our new herbs Rooibos (pronounced ROY-boss). It's a
caffeine-free tea brewed from a shrub that only grows in South Africa. This delicious,
vanilla-scented tea has a naturally gorgeous orange-amber color. Rooibos is also
celebrated for its many healthful benefits. One
reference note that it soothes stomach and digestive problems;
strongly recommended for people suffering from nervous tension and
irritability; beneficial in the management of allergies; and is
excellent for active people, pregnant women, nursing mothers and children.
This recipe blends Rooibos with Rose Hips for added tartness.
2 tablespoons chopped dried Rose Hips3 tablespoons Rooibos
3 individual serving packages Stevia
4 sprigs of fresh Mint
Bring 4 cups fresh, cold water to a boil in a large, non-reactive pot.
Stir in rose hips, reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off
heat, stir in Rooibos, cover and let
steep for 5 minutes. Strain tea through cheesecloth-line sieve, pressing on herbs with
spoon to extract liquid. Stir in Stevia until dissolved and let cool. Serve over ice,
garnished with mint sprigs.
(Source: Natural Health Magazine, September 2001)
South African Punch
Impress your friends and family with this festive beverage!
Rooibos tea6 oz sugar
34 oz Orange Juice
34 oz Apple Juice
3 cups Spring Water
34 oz Ginger Ale
Prepare 41 oz of strong Rooibos tea. While tea is still hot, add sugar and stir until dissolved; combine with the remaining liquids. Garnish with mint leaves, cherries or apple and lemon slices.
(Source: www.red-tea-rooibos.com)
For measurement conversions, we found this great website that calculates all kinds of measurements automatically www.onlineconversion.com
Still feeling adventurous? Ready to try more? Here are some other herb teas that make great beverages hot or cold.
Anise Seed. Has a natural licorice flavor; soothes nerves and digestion
Hibiscus. Tangy citrus flavor; sweetens breath
Lemon Balm. The name says it all- lemony and soothes nerves
Linden. Mildly sweet; soothes nerves and indigestion.
For a full list see