Lavender, Peaches, and Citrus: Experimenting with Black Iced Tea

 

Our go-to for iced is Alaya's Assam Orthodox Black Tea. It's a robust, black tea organically grown in the eastern Indian state of Assam. To make a large pitcher for yourself or friends, here is the recipe below:

• Add 3 heaped teaspoons of Assam Orthodox Black Tea leaves to a large tea pot.
• Add 3-4 cups of boiling water, and let steep for 4-6 minutes. Leave the tea in longer if you like it extra strong, and remove it sooner if you prefer it more delicate. 
• Strain out the tea leaves into a large pitcher. Pop pitcher in the fridge for 2-3 hours to cool. 
• Remove from fridge, add ice and add garnish below!
  
  

If you want to get fancy, here are a few ideas for what pairs well with these robust, black tea leaves:

 

 

Pop in a slice or you can make a peach puree (Cook 4 ripe peaches with ⅓ cup of sugar and water on the stove. Remove. Let cool. Push the puree through a sieve. Bottle the juice.) To serve, add ice to each glass, one part peach puree, two parts brewed Assam tea. 

 

 

You can simply add a slice. For more of a summer zing, squeeze in the juice into a jug of brewed Assam tea. Add sweetener of choice. (Tea also goes well with sparkling water. Just do half tea, half sparkling water for a bubbly, citrus-y tea).

 

 

Simply add fresh or dried lavender into a glass of Assam tea as a garnish. Or make a simple syrup for a stronger flavor. (Lavender Simple Syrup: Mix equal part sugar with equal part water on the stove. Turn the heat off once the sugar has dissolved. Fill a single-cup tea infuser with dried lavender flowers. Steep for at least 30 minutes. Pour the syrup into a glass jar.) Add a tablespoon to your iced Assam tea for a refreshing floral tea.

 

The options are endless. We can't wait to see what you make!