Blackberry Iced Tea

Have you ever noticed how iced tea has the uncanny ability to quench just even the deepest of thirsts? Well if you are looking for a nice twist on a fantastic and perennial favorite summer time drink, then this is the recipe for you. This recipe for blackberry iced tea will leave you drooling for more, even as it quenches that raging thirst that the summer heat brings out in all of us. Learn exactly why blackberry iced tea is fast becoming a national favorite by trying this wonderful drink today.

Ingredients:

• 1 quart (4 cups) boiling water
• 2-1/2 cups cold water
• 4 large tea bags (use 2 for a lighter taste)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup blackberry syrup (or 3 cups frozen blackberries)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon fresh mint, chopped
• Several fresh mint leaves for garnish (optional)
• 1 pinch of baking soda

Recipe:

1. Make tea base. In a medium sized sauce pan, or tea kettle, begin to boil slightly more than one quart of water. Once the water begins to boil, pour the remaining hot water into a large pitcher, or tea server, and add the tea bags. Allow the tea to steep, covered, for 10 to 20 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard.
2. Add flavorings. Add the sugar, syrup, lemon juice, mint, and baking soda to the hot water and stir. If you are using frozen blackberries, add only 2-1/2 cups at this time along with the lemon juice, sugar, mint, and baking soda. Crush the blackberries against the side of the pitcher to release their juices, and stir.
3. Chill. Place the hot tea mixture into your refrigerator, and chill. Chill the tea for a minimum of one hour before serving. The longer that you allow the tea to chill, then the cooler and stronger the taste will become.
4. Garnish and serve. When you are ready to drink the tea, add the remaining 1/2 cup of blackberries to the mix, and stir. Garnish each glass with another leaf of mint, and serve. Sit back and enjoy the fantastic taste.

This recipe, as stated, will make between 7 cups and 1 gallon of blackberry iced tea. If you need more, simply increase the ingredients to your desired amount. Keep in mind that you can usually find some blackberries in the frozen section of your supermarket, and that you can find the syrup in the same area that you find pancake syrup. If you are going to be using frozen black berries, you do not need to thaw them before adding them to the hot tea mix. If they are frozen when added, they will help to cool the tea down a little quicker. Feel free to also experiment with other types of syrup as well to create a truly unique tasting tea.