Did I Ever Mention. . .

 That I discovered the joy of cold brewed floral/fruit tea?  

I never liked, and still don't, any kind of tea that contains actual tea leaves (or, really leaves of anything else, including raspberry leaf).  But a while back, I was introduced to tea that is made with flower petals and/or roots and/or bits of dried fruits, and that was a game changer.  I found out I actually do like tea; it just has to be the right kind of tea.

A few of summers ago, I had cold brewed tea for the first time.  Another game changer.  On a stiflingly hot and humid summer day, a nice cup of cold tea from the fridge is delicious.  Again, it has to be the doesn't-contain-any-kind-of-leaf type of tea.

About a year after that, DD2 gave me lid that fits a wide mouth canning jar and comes with a diffuser that screws into the underside of the lid.  Perfect for making my own cold brewed tea.  And I do, particularly during spells of hot weather.

It's very simple:

I put about a tablespoon and a half of whichever tea blend I'm feeling like brewing into the diffuser.  Screw the diffuser to the lid.  Fill a wide mouth pint canning jar with cold water, screw the special lid onto the jar with the diffuser immersed in the water, and put it into the fridge overnight.

The next day, I remove the lid, unscrew the diffuser and put it's sodden contents into the compost bucket, then recover the jar with a solid plastic screw-on lid. (The diffuser lid has a hole in it that you could put a straw in if you wanted to drink straight from the jar.)

Typically I serve myself about 6 ounces at a time, so a pint of cold brew lasts me 2-3 days.

I find that it reminds me of Kool-aid in a vague way; in that at that concentration (1.5 Tbsp tea:16 oz water ) it's got a little bit of sweetness and a good flavor that isn't too watery. I don't add any sugar or anything to it.

 

It's quite refreshing when I'm looking for something other than yet another pint of water to drink. I drink a ton of water every day. Close to a gallon a day during hot weather, and more than a half-gallon daily even in the winter. Rarely anything else other than water, with the exception of hot chocolate in the winter, cold brew tea in the summer and very occasionally a nice heavy dark micro-brewed beer.

Very red tea (this one was Cherry Bang, bought at the Red Bud Cafe in Shipshewana)