Oh lawd, it’s hot! It’s so hot that I’m channeling my inner Southern Belle (because secretly I’d love to be a Southern lady). I’m longing to sit on a porch sipping iced tea and fanning myself all day. The reality though, is that I don’t have a porch and even if I did, I wouldn’t have time to sit there. I do however, have iced tea.

This Mint Iced Tea is in my refrigerator from June 1 to September 1 every summer. It’s incredibly refreshing, and it’s perfect with spirits or alone. Finally, as I’ve said before with things like hot chocolate, popcorn, and waffles, why on earth would you buy this stuff? Iced tea in a can tastes like tin, the powdered stuff is awful and the stuff from a fountain is too sweet. If you haven’t made iced tea before, do yourself a favour and try either this recipe or google a basic recipe. You won’t go back to the store bought kind.

Mint Iced Tea

3 cups of boiling water
4 tea bags (black tea preferably, Orange Pekoe works well)
Mint Leaves
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 cups cold water
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 lemon – juice squeezed from it

Boil 3 cups water in a large pot. Once boiled turn off and throw in tea bags and mint (start with around 8-10 leaves, increase if you like it “mintier”). Let tea and mint steep for 10 minutes. Remove bags and mint leaves from pot squeezing out excess liquid. Add granulated sugar, stirring well to dissolve. Stir in cold water, orange juice and lemon juice. Transfer to pitcher and chill. Serve over ice and garnish with orange slices.

Pleasantville Note: I make enough to fill a huge lemonade container I have with a spigot. After 12pm, all bets are off and this is just fine with vodka, bourbon or rum. Whatever gets you through sister. My kids love this (sans spirits), but watch that little ones don’t have too much, there is caffeine in it.