"Ice Tea Day"

What could be more refreshing in the heat of the day than a big glass of Ice Tea?  (No, don't give us your answer if it differs!)  :)  This being "Ice Tea Day", I'm offering this recipe:

Farmer Boy Sweet Tea

Ingredients:

• Tea bags or loose tea
• water, preferably clean, filtered (not bottled or distilled!)
• Sugar syrup

Directions: Brew up some tea, * by boiling water and adding it to the tea.  (I like to use tea bags - less of a mess!) You are going to want to brew it to be very strong - so use more tea than you normally would.  Let it steep up to 5 minutes, but don't over steep or it will get bitter.   Then cool it to room temperature.

While it is cooling, you can make your sugar syrup.  Take one cup of sugar and dissolve it in one cup of water, over medium heat.  Bring it to a boil and simmer 2 minutes.  Cool this to room temperature or refrigerate. (This can be stored in the refrigerator in a sealed bottle.) 

To make the ice tea, simply fill a glass with ice cubes.  Pour the cooled tea into the glass, followed by the sugar syrup (to taste).  You may wish to add a sprig of fresh mint or a slice of lemon also.

*Note: you could also use Sun Tea, (tea that is brewed by leaving the tea ball or bags in a jar of water, out in the hot sun for a few hours. This makes a really nice, smooth and mellow tasting tea!) And, for goodness sake, don't use instant tea!  :)

If you are a "Yankee", from the north, you may not be familiar with "Sweet Tea" or how to order it in a southern restaurant.  Here is the process: Simply say, "I'd like a Sweet Tea, please."  Or you don't have to be so formal, just say, "I'd like a Tea, please."  They'll know what you mean, because it is a "Southern" thing!  In fact, I don't think you could order it any other way!  :)

I hope you'll try this recipe and then leave a comment here. Thanks.  The Old Man in the Bib Overalls