Wonderful Iced Tea

Most iced tea recipes stop at water and tea bags. This one goes further: the spent rinds of oranges and lemons, a bundle of fresh mint, and a cup of orange pekoe tea leaves all get steeped together in boiling water for an hour. That long infusion pulls citrus oils out of the peels and into the tea for a bright, perfumed cup that tastes like summer porch furniture.

The juice of 10 oranges and 7 lemons gets reserved, strained into the pitcher cold, and stirred with sugar until it dissolves. The hot tea then joins the cold juice and everything goes in the fridge.

This one comes from Henry W. Bloch, co-founder of H&R Block in Kansas City. It’s a big-batch recipe, 20 cups of water, perfect for a summer barbecue or church social.

Pro Tips

• Use the rinds after juicing, the oils live in the peel and a quick squeeze won’t release them
• Fresh mint only, dried mint turns the tea muddy instead of cool
• Let the tea steep the full hour, a shorter steep means weak citrus and flat flavor
• Dissolve sugar in the warm tea first, cold liquid won’t absorb it evenly and you’ll have gritty bottom sips

Variations

• Swap orange pekoe for green tea or a floral oolong for a lighter cup
• Add a splash of bourbon per glass at serving time for a Southern twist
• Substitute honey for half the sugar to soften the sweetness