Summer Tea

Back in the mid 80's my family moved us across country from soggy Washington to beautiful Selma, Alabama and so started my obsession with iced sweet tea. I don't remember much of Selma, just a couple of random things, one being a local restaurant that served iced tea in these massive (to a 4 yr. old mind you) mason jars. Seriously though, how could anything served in a mason jar not be good?

Now decades later I have my own collection of mason jars and have made, what I think to be, the perfect tea concoction! During the summer months, when fruit is at it's best, I'll play around with different combinations of fruity teas. There's white tea & honeydew, jasmine tea & blueberries and my personal favorite: nectarine & mint tea.

Here's my take on an ode to the south sweet tea!

Nectarine Mint Sweet Tea


you'll need:
6 cups water
2 tea bags
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
1 bunch mint leaves
3 nectarines
4 cups ice


directions
1. In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar with 1.3 cup of water. Bring to a slow boil and stir often until the brown sugar has completely dissolved. Let the syrup cool to room temperature.


2. In a large kettle, bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Remove heat and steep 2 tea bags. Let the tea cool to room temperature.


3. While syrup and tea are cooling, rinse and cut nectarines.


4. Once the tea has cooled, add tea, syrup, nectarines and mint to a large pitcher. Store in the refrigerator. I tend to think the tea is better after 'resting' for a day in the fridge.

Hope you are having a lovely Friday!!