Citrusy Sweet Tea, Y’all!

Spoon after spoon stirred in to no avail, the cold tea resists all attempts at sweetening as the sugar settles like a stubborn sludge at the bottom of the jug. A jumble of thoughts swirl up at the sight, remindful of summers spent south of the Mason Dixon Line. Tall pitchers of Sweet Tea, amber and dewy in the humidity, bowls of neon-orange pimento cheese set to be scooped up with the fluted edges of fancy crackers, and the lilt of the Southern drawl..all charmingly beckoning eager wayfarers. There were bags of salty boiled peanuts to be popped open, plump inside their soggy pods..just a bit of onion, lemon and a newspaper cone missing to lure one away to a street back home. In the here and now, it’s another coast, another pot of tea. Shrugging at the undissolved sugar in the first attempt, one turns to a potpourri of mild spices – cinnamon and star anise – and the tang of lemons, to add a kick to the warm and properly sweetened new brew. Once cooled, it is poured over crushed ice and frozen slices of orange, and with every sip, it turns the most oppressive of summer days into a snap..and packs off a medley of sweet scents to ride on the warm, winged-air..

Slice up an orange and freeze the slices. Bring 5 cups of water to a boil and take it off the heat. Steep 1-2 tablespoons of tea leaves or 3 tea bags in the hot water for 3-5 minutes, along with a cinnamon stick, half a star anise and a few strips of lemon peel. Strain the tea, sweeten to taste and allow it to cool to room temperature. Add a squeeze of lime juice and serve topped with the frozen orange slices.

We’re linking up our Citrusy Sweet Tea to –

• Of Chalks and Chopsticks started by Aqua
• Melt in your Mouth Mondays
• June Summertime Refreshing Drinks
• Veggie/Fruit a Month – Orange
• These Chicks Cooked
• A Themed Baker’s Sunday
• House Favorites – Vegan

              

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