0613 Drink | myclickmag

DRINK

Blackberry Sweet Tea — Sweet tea gets even sweeter with the addition of juicy blackberries. Whip up a pitcher-full to complement a family brunch or to relish all on your own. To get the most out of this recipe, head to the nearest farmers market and pick up fresh, local blackberries. Their season peaks in late summer but blackberry bushes are already brimming with berries. Freeze extra blackberries and use them instead of ice cubes to keep your drink cool without watering it down. Don’t forget to fish them out of the glass when you’ve finished your tea!

Ingredients
• Three cups fresh or frozen blackberries, thawed
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• One tablespoon chopped fresh mint
• Pinch of baking soda
• Four cups boiling water
• Two family-size black tea bags
• 2 1/2 cups cold water

Directions
1. Combine blackberries and sugar in a large container and crush with a
    wooden spoon.
2. Stir in mint and baking soda.
3. Pour four cups of boiling water over tea bags; cover and steep five minutes.
    Discard tea bags.
4. Pour tea over blackberry mixture; let stand at room temperature for one hour.
    Pour tea through a wire-mesh strainer into a large pitcher and throw away the
    solids. Add 2 1/2 cups cold water, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cover and put
    in the refrigerator for at least one hour before serving.

If there’s one thing Southerners know, it’s tea. With plenty of muggy days ahead, it’s the perfect time to stretch out on a lawn chair with a pitcher of the secret family recipe for sweet tea (hint: lots of sugar and plenty of ice.) But if you’re looking to let loose, these recipes put tangy twists on an old favorite.

Tea Time

A summer thirst-quencher, the Southern way.

1/1

Kiwi Green Tea – One glass of this delectable concoction is filled to the brim with antioxidants; the kiwi adds Vitamin A and E, while the flavonoids in green tea can improve cardiovascular health and increase metabolism. Together they create a restorative that’ll not only keep you healthy but will also stave off even the most serious case of the vapors. Not to mention that the tropical taste will transport you to sandy beaches without the expensive plane ticket. Ripe kiwifruits are soft and the skin will give to gentle pressure, so be sure to check before leaving the grocery store.

Ingredients
• Three Kiwifruit (peeled)
• 1/2 lemon (sliced)
• One tablespoon Caster Sugar
• One green tea bag
• Two cups of water

Directions
1. Combine lemon slices and tea bag
    in large heatproof bowl/jug.
2. Boil water; let the water cool for
    about a minute before pouring
    over the lemon slices and tea bag.
3. Let the tea steep for five minutes
    and juice the kiwifruits with a
    juice extractor.
4. Add kiwifruit juice and sugar to
    the lemon green tea. Stir until
    sugar dissolves. Set aside to cool,
    then chill.
5. Serve chilled with ice cubes;
    garnish with kiwi and lemon slices.

1/1

Black Tea Sangria — This thirst-quenching refreshment includes just about everything besides the kitchen sink. Although sangria is traditionally an alcoholic drink, this version is alcohol-free. “Sangria” stems from the Spanish word for “blood,” but the macabre name applies only to the punch’s deep red color. In this delectable drink, fragrant black tea is paired with divinely sweet fruits like plump raspberries, ripe strawberries and tangy oranges. To add some extra flavor and color, leave the sliced oranges, lemons and limes in the pitcher. They’ll soak up the black tea and make a great snack for later.

Ingredients
• Two cups boiling water
• Two black tea bags
• 1/2 cup sugar
• Three cups pomegranate juice
• One cup freshly squeezed orange juice
• One orange, sliced into thin rounds
• One lemon, sliced into thin rounds
• One lime, sliced into thin rounds
• One apple, cored and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
• One cup of carbonated water

Directions
1. Pour boiling water over tea bags and
    cinnamon sticks and steep for 5 minutes.
   Discard tea bags and stir in sugar to dissolve.
2. In a large jar or pitcher, combine tea,
    pomegranate juice, orange juice, orange,
    lemon, lime and apple. Refrigerate for at
    least 1 hour and preferably overnight.
3. Just before serving, stir in carbonated water.
    Serve in glasses over ice.

1/1

ADVERTISEMENT