Although hot tea is consumed year-round in many cultures, there’s nothing wrong with opting for iced tea on hot summer afternoons. During the summer heat of Beverly Hills, we at American Tea Room love crafting iced teas with fresh fruit from our local farmers market, sprigs of fresh herbs, sparkling water, our whole-leaf teas and other ingredients. And, sometimes, our iced tea concoctions end up being so delicious and simple to make that we can’t help but share them with our customers! Here are a few of our recent favorites:
Citrus, mint and Nirvana Green Tea make Nirvana Blush an unforgettable iced tea.
Makes 64 oz. of iced tea.
1. Prepare 48 oz. of Nirvana Green Tea. (Steep 8 tbs of tea in 24 oz of 175°F water for 3 minutes, then remove leaves.)
2. Pour hot tea over 2 cups of ice to chill.
3. Add sliced rounds of 1/2 lemon and 1/2 lime along with eight or ten large springs of fresh spearmint.
4. Add 2 cups of Trader Joe’s Organic Pomegranate Limeade.
5. Serve over ice.
One of our most popular teas, our apricot-flavored Tangier is made even better with the addition of fresh apricots.
Makes 64 oz. of iced tea.
1. Prepare 48 oz of Tangier Black Tea. (Steep 8 tbs of tea in 24 oz of 200°F water for 4 minutes, then remove leaves.)
2. Pour hot tea over 2 cups of ice to chill.
3. Add 4 sliced apricots, chill and place in refrigerator.
4. Garnish with apricot and serve over ice.
Brilliant in color and bold in flavor, this is an ideal iced tea for barbecues.
Makes 64 oz. of iced tea.
1. Prepare 48 oz of Romanoff Black Tea. (Steep 8 tbs of tea in 24 oz of 200°F water for 4 minutes, then remove leaves.)
2. Pour hot tea over 2 cups of ice to chill.
3. Add 2 cups Blood Orange Italian Soda (available at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods).
4. Slice one blood orange into rounds add to iced tea and use as garnish.
5. (Optional) Pair with pastries or toast and our handcrafted Romanoff Blood Orange Marmalade.
What are your favorite American Tea Room teas to drink over ice?
