The Perfect Ice Tea

Black Tea is the best for iced tea,  but you can also try blended and flavored teas, green teas and herbals.  My favorite blend: 2 bags of Bigelow Earl Grey with 2 bags of Bigelow Lemon Lift.  Brewing  ice tea the traditional way with hot water, will often become cloudy when chilled.  If you want your chilled tea to be crystal clear, use cold water method.  For ice tea to be the same strength, use ice cubes made from leftover tea.

• 4 cups (1 quart) cold water (filtered or bottled)
• 4 tea bags or 1/4 cup loose black tea leaves
• ice cubes
• sugar syrup for sweetening

Hot water method: Bring 2 cups of the cold water to a boil.  Remove from heat and add the tea leaves or tea bags.  Stir, cover and steep for 5 minutes. Stir and strain through a fine sieve to remove tea leaves.  Strain a second time through coffee filter paper Pour the strained tea into a pitcher containing the remaining 2 cups cold water. Stir and pour into tall glass filled with ice cubes. Sweeten with sugar syrup if desired.

Cold water method: Fill a glass container with tea and cold water.  Stir well and chill overnight. Remove tea bags or strain to remove tea leaves. Strain a scecond time through drip coffee filter paper. Refrigerate until serving time.Stir  and pour into tall glasses filled with ice cubes. Sweeten with sugar syrup if desired.

Sugar Syrup:  Boil over medium heat in a small saucepan, 2 cups water and 2 cups sugar. Simmer until clear, about 10-15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator.  Use in iced tea according to taste.

Lemon Sugar Syrup:  Follow recipe for sugar syrup, adding in the zest of 3 small lemons, in strips, after mixtures reaches a boil. Proceed as directed, straining the discarding the zest after the liquid has cooled.