Use solar power to create a refreshing drink. No need to turn on the kitchen stove to boil water when there is a beautiful sunny day.
Recipe by Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes
Photo by A. Jones
Ingredients:
- 4 to 8 tea bags
- 2 quart or 1 gallon glass container
- Water
Instructions:
- Put 4 bags into a clean 2 quart glass container; place 8 bags into a clean gallon glass container.
- Fill with water and cap.
- Place container outside where sunlight can strike the container for approximately 3 to 5 hours.
- When tea has reached its desired strength, remove from the sun and place in the refrigerator…or pour yourself a glass over ice with a garnish of lemon. (Feel free to remove tea bags prior to cooling.)
The Pioneer Woman has her own take on how to make sun tea.
Sommer Collier states:
Sun Tea 101
First of all, tea leaves release their flavor into liquid. Period.
It does not matter if the water is hot, cold, or somewhere in between. When the liquid is hot, we call it steeping. If the liquid is cold, it’s technically a plain old infusion. Either way, it really doesn’t matter what you call it. When tea leaves get wet, flavor comes out.
The reason most people steep tea in hot water (other than just liking hot beverages) is that the tea releases its flavor faster when the water is hot. A fast release in a short amount of time usually results in an intense flavor and deep color.
That’s not to say that the same thing can’t happen in cool or warm water over a longer period of time.”
She suggests the general time frame for sun tea is between 2 to 3 hours of sunshine.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, the hottest time of the day is around 3 pm.
“Heat continues building up after noon, when the sun is highest in the sky, as long as more heat is arriving at the earth than leaving. By 3 p.m. or so, the sun is low enough in the sky for outgoing heat to be greater than incoming. Sometimes the hottest time is earlier because a weather system moves in with cool air early in the day.”
Recipe for a Simple Syrup
Yield: 1-1/2 cup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions:
- Combine sugar and water in a pan, stirring occasionally and bring to a boil. Let cool then place in a container.
- Add desired amount to prepared iced tea. Enjoy!
- Place remaining syrup in the refrigerator. It will last up to 4 weeks.
For another take on how to make Sun Tea and Cold Brew Iced Tea, check out Luzianne’s website.
Lipton’s Strawberry Iced Tea
Strawberry Iced Tea by Lipton
Recipe by Lipton.com
Instructions:
- While your basic iced tea is still hot, pour in 1/6 – 1/3 cup superfine or powdered sugar and stir through.
- Add 1/8 – 1/4 cup lemon juice, balancing out the combination of lemon and sugar to taste.
- Puree a pint of fresh strawberries and sieve them to remove the strawberry seeds.
- Once the tea is cool, add the strawberry puree and place in the fridge for 30 minutes.
So don’t be afraid to get a little experimental with your pitchers. Once you’ve got your iced tea base, let the adventure begin!
Northern News 