Food stylist: Brett Kurzweil

Perfect Iced Tea

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  • Level: Easy
  • Total: 4 min
  • Cook: 4 min
  • Yield: 8 cups

Directions

  1. Hot-Brewed:
  2. Bring 8 cups water to a simmer; remove from the heat and add 3 tablespoons loose tea or 6 tea bags. Let steep about 4 minutes, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags. Let cool, then transfer to a pitcher, cover and refrigerate.
  3. Cold-Brewed:
  4. Combine 8 cups cold water and 6 tablespoons loose tea or 10 tea bags in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate 15 to 36 hours, until it's the strength you like. Strain loose tea with a fine-mesh sieve or remove the tea bags.
  5. Sweet Teas:
  6. Combine 3/4 cup each sugar and water in a saucepan and add 1 infuser, if desired. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then remove from the heat and let cool. Strain the infused syrup through a fine-mesh sieve (you'll get about 1 cup).
  7. Orange Add 6 strips zest
  8. Blackberries 1 cup
  9. Cinnamon 2 sticks
  10. Lavender 3 tablespoons dried
  11. Vanilla 1 halved bean
  12. Mint 3 sprigs
  13. Ginger 1 cup sliced
  14. Lemon 8 strips zest
  15. Nectarine 1 cup chopped
  16. Cucumber 2 cups chopped