I was suppose to send this post out in the beginning of summer, but whoops time flew by! Today, my tea expert Maleah is here to share with us how to properly prepare iced tea. Even in the fall, iced tea can be extremely refreshing after a great workout! Maleah often brings her iced teas to my fitness classes for everyone to drink! They are awesome! To learn more about Maleah’s unique and exotic teas visit her website at http://chachatea.net/
I was able to get my readers a great discount! If you spend at least $30 on tea, you will receive $5 off of that purchase! Make sure to put the coupon code Dustin2009. This is only good until Oct 15th. http://chachatea.net/
A question I often get asked is… If you tell me I shouldn’t drink soda, fruit juice, or diet soda, what else can I drink besides water?
My answer is always TEA!
Here it is!
As warmer weather approaches, many tea drinkers will find themselves wanting to swap their cups of steaming hot tea for tall glasses of iced tea. Though the beverage market is swamped with a wide variety of ready-to-drink teas-everything from sugary and flavored to plain and sublime-making your own iced tea gives you the creativity to make your very own concoction with whatever tea you decide upon. It’s easy to make and the options to personalize it are endless.
Local tea business, Cha Cha Tea, aims to provide simple guidelines for making tea. Remember, tea is simply tea and water! The timing and temperatures of water make the difference between an ok tasting cup and a great tea experience.
Cha Cha Tea’s Hot Brew Method
A quick recipe for one gallon of iced tea from a Cha Cha Tea Iced Tea pouch:
1. Add tea pouch to 1 gallon (64 oz) tea pitcher
2. Pour 32 oz. of boiling water over pouch. Steep 5 minutes.
3. Add 32 oz. of cold water and remove pouch.
4. Pour over ice and enjoy!
*Easier Than You Think Iced Tea
Iced tea made from loose leaves is simple too. And is very easy to make. Steep tea stronger not longer. Simply double the amount of tea leaves (making it two teaspoons per cup of water), and steep as usual (five minutes in most cases). Once tea is ready, dilute with an equal amount of cold water or ice.
Plain v. Flavored
There is no right or wrong- it’s up to you and whatever your palette is in the mood for! If you opt for plain, use the best quality whole-leaf teas you can find. You may want to stick with teas that have ‘bright’notes; teas with inherent floral or fruity notes chill well. Teas with earthier, malty notes may not sound as appealing, but to each their own! Be adventurous; you might find something you enjoy hot makes a great cold, refreshing drink.
* Fresh or Frozen Fruit: Fruit can definitely jazz up any iced tea. If using a flavored fruit tea base, try a different kind of fruit to make a blend. Think of other fruits other than the usual lemon garnish. If using frozen fruit, they can also act as cooling agents for your iced tea. Chop up fruit into smaller pieces and add to tea after pouring over ice.
* Other Additions: Try sweetening your iced tea with 1/2 Cup of fruit juice or fruit puree. Pomegranate juice adds healthy components (to an already healthy drink!) and it’s flavor is not too strong to overpower the tea flavor. Garnishes can also make for a winning iced tea: citrus flowers and herbs, but also edible flowers can make a decorative touch if you float them on top. Try also freezing juice or tea in ice cube trays and adding to the tea for both flavor, color, and to keep the tea cold.
Cha Cha Tea’s Hot Brew Method:
Cha Cha Tea’s Cold Brew method:
This cold brew method also known as the slow tea method brings out all the flavor and none of the bitterness.
1. Add 2 tablespoons of loose tea to a tea pitcher. (Pictured is a 1 liter (33.3 oz) pitcher)
2. Fill with cold filtered water
3. Cover and place in fridge for 4 hours
4. Pour and enjoy!
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