sun tea

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~ how to make sun tea~

“She had the brand of pragmatism that would find her the first brewing tea after Armageddon.” ~Clive Barker, Weave World

Sun tea. I wonder what summer would be without it? Every day, without fail, I make a jar and set it on the deck to steep. Usually I do this as soon as I get up. Lately I’ve been setting out two so I have enough when Andie comes over after work to share teatime with me. This is one of my very favorite simple pleasures.

Making sun tea is really easy, but there are a few basics you should know if you want to try it. 1.) Only make caffeinated tea into sun tea. Caffeine has special properties that kill off any bacteria that may try to grow during the three-or-so hours that your tea is brewing. 2.) Only use loose leaf tea to brew sun tea. Lipton is yucky. Do a taste test. I use a giant infuser ball from Williams Sonoma to brew my sun tea. It came with mulling spices for mulling hot apple cider that my friend Jill gave to me as part of a Christmas gift, but you can just buy the big infuser ball if you wish. (They changed the look of this infuser since I got mine, but it still does the job.) 3.) You can use any flavor of black or green tea that you wish, or use an unflavored Assam, Ceylon, Keemun if you prefer classic, black iced tea. I’ve been using Mrs. Kelly’s Assam this summer, and whenever I feel like adding flavor, I throw in a few Celestial Seasonings tea bags. Coconut Thai Chai, Blueberry, Raspberry Hibiscus Zinger, and Country Peach are particularly nice. 4.) Use purified water or spring water to make the best tasting brew. It really does make a difference. 5.) Screw the top of your sun tea jar (or big pickle jar) on tight, and set your jar of tea in the sun for 3 hours. Enjoy over ice with lemon wedges and fresh mint. Store your sun tea in the refrigerator.

Pure sunlight and tea leaves. Such a simple recipe.

Enjoy!

~Melissa

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