Iced Tea Recipe Ideas for Summer

Iced tea is a relaxing and refreshing drink to enjoy during the hot Spring and Summer months. Most people have a favorite iced tea recipe that they make each and every time. It can be fun to vary the iced tea recipe depending on the type of cuisine or event you are having. Whether you have company over or are just enjoying a tall glass on your own, these tea recipes are sure to inspire you to try something new.

One of the ways to add variety to your tea is to experiment with different types of sweeteners. I love using honey to lightly sweeten my tea. The great thing about honey is that different varieties have differing tastes so a white clover honey is going to taste different than a mesquite honey. Some other sweeteners to consider are blue agave nectar or the herb sweet leaf Stevia. If you're partial to sugar, why not try a natural or raw sugar? For a naturally sweetened tea, add in some fruit juice such as mango puree pressed through a strainer.

You can also garnish your tea to alter the taste. Whether it's mint leaves or a few citrus spirals, these finishing touches can take your ordinary tea from blah to delicious.

To make iced tea, start by boiling a kettle of water on the stove. When the water reaches the boiling point, turn off the burner and allow it to cool slightly. Boiling water can singe the leaves of more delicate teas and alter the flavor. Place the teabags into the bottom of a heavy glass heat-safe pitcher or jug. Once the water has cooled for a few minutes, pour it over the bags and allow the bags to steep for about 5 minutes. Remove the bags from the tea and add whatever sweetener you enjoy. Never squeeze the teabags as this releases bitter tanins into the drink and will cause it's flavor to change. Pour the tea over ice if you enjoy it less strong, or for a stronger tea, put the pitcher directly into the fridge to cool.

The optimal number of teabags to use is between three and five bags, depending on your tastes and the strength of the tea being brewed.

Some of my favorite combinations:
3 bags Chai tea sweetened with 2 tablespoons clover honey

4 bags white tea, 1 bag mint tea, sliced lemons and fresh spearmint leaves to garnish

4 bags Ban-cha (toasted green tea), 2 tablespoons honey and the juice of 1 lemon

2 bags white tea, 2 bags jasmine green tea, garnish with fresh fruit such as raspberries or peach slices

2 bags chamomile tea, 2 bags fruit-flavored tea (raspberry or peach work well), 2 T raw sugar

3 bags Yogi brand Mexican sweet chili tea garnished with lime wedges

Another combination to try is mixing your different kinds of herbal teas. You can sweeten this tea if you'd like, or leave it unsweetened.

For special occasions you can freeze fresh mint leaves or raspberries directly into your ice cubes for a pretty presentation and burst of flavor as the ice melts. Just place the mint or berries into the ice cube tray and cover with water as usual. Remove from tray when frozen. You can make these ahead of time and keep them in a plastic freezer bag for when you have an unexpected guest. If you're short and time and want to impress a guest, thread fresh fruit and/or mint leaves onto a bamboo skewer to use as a swizzle stick.

Whatever type of tea you choose to make, be open to trying different flavor combinations. You might just find that you have a new favorite.