Cold, cold chai: Homemade iced tea is simple to make and ideal for summers

NT Features

Iced tea is a form of cold tea. Though usually served in a glass with ice, it can refer to any tea that has been chilled or cooled. It may be sweetened with sugar, syrup and/or apple slices. Iced tea is also a popular packaged drink and can be mixed with flavoured syrup, with multiple common flavours including lemon, raspberry, lime, passion fruit, peach, orange, strawberry, and cherry.

While most iced teas get their flavour from tea leaves Camellia sinensis, herbal teas are sometimes served cold and referred to as iced tea. Seen as a novelty at first.

During the 1870s it became quite widespread. Recipes appeared in print, iced tea was offered on hotel menus, and it was on sale at railroad stations. Its popularity rapidly increased after Richard Blechynden introduced it at the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis.

Homemade iced tea only requires a few simple steps and ingredients. Follow the process below and you’ll be sipping tea on the porch in no time.

Brew the tea: In a saucepan, bring half the water to boil and remove it from heat. Add in the tea bags and allow them to steep for 10 minutes.

Remove the tea bags: Remove the tea bags from the hot water. If you want sweet tea, add the sugar and whisk until it’s completely dissolved.

Add the cold water: Add the remaining cold water to the hot tea and whisk. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or until chilled.

Serve: Serve the tea over ice with lemon slices and fresh mint.