Iced Tea: Three Ways

In the summertime we make a lot of iced tea. I just throw tea bags into a pitcher of water, put it in the fridge overnight and Voila!, cold tea. I favor plain black tea, nothing herbal or fruity like white peach or cranberry. Just good old-fashioned iced tea. Because we usually have an abundance of lemons and mint, I might throw in a slice or a sprig to dress it up. But recently I had company over and wanted something just a little bit fancier. So I made flavored simple syrups. A few ice cubes, some cold tea, and a dash of simple syrup in mint, lemon, or ginger. Kind of like Emeril’s Cajun Seasoning, the syrup kicks it up a notch. The syrups are easy to make and the recipe can easily be doubled. We have even used them to flavor plain seltzer or club soda. If you find yourself with some leftover mint from those mojitos, or grab a nice knob of ginger at the market, you might give it a whirl:




Mint Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup mint leaves
Toss all in a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes, making sure all sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out mint leaves and place syrup in decorative jar or cruet.

Lemon Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
1 whole lemon, zested and then cut into quarters
Toss all in a saucepan, bring to a boil and boil for 3-4 minutes, making sure all sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out lemon pieces and zest and place syrup in decorative jar or cruet.

Ginger Syrup
1 cup water
1 cup granulated sugar
2-inch knob of ginger, peeled and cut into ¼ inch slices
Place water and ginger into saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil lightly for 10 minutes. Add sugar and return to boil for 304 minutes, making sure all sugar is dissolved. Take off heat and let steep for 20 minutes. Strain out ginger pieces and place syrup in decorative jar or cruet. (BONUS: you can take those tender ginger slices and roll them in granulated sugar. Place in a jar in the refrigerator. They make a good snack or remedy for an upset tummy.)