Wednesday, June 18, 2003

Cool off with a honey of an iced tea

As summer temperatures rise, iced tea really hits the spot when you're thirsty. Whether sitting out on the porch or lying by the pool, honey-kissed iced teas are the perfect beverage to help beat the heat.

Honey is often added to hot tea to add extra sweetness, but it's also a perfect sweetener in cold brewed teas as well. Whether it's a fruity varietal honey such as orange blossom or honey with a floral taste such as sage, the sweet flavor of honey is an essential ingredient to deliciously sweet iced tea.

Making flavored iced tea is simple. Start with cold water, bring to a boil and add either loose or bagged tea; steep until desired strength. While tea is steeping, add sweeteners such as honey (there are more than 300 varieties available), spices or fruit juices.

Because the types of tea and honey abound, have fun mixing and matching different teas with specific varietal honeys. Try mint tea with wildflower honey, orange pekoe tea with clover honey, and green tea with orange blossom honey.

To get summer off to a sweet start, the National Honey Board created two tantalizing iced teas that are sure to be a warm-weather hit. For additional recipes, go to www.honey.com.

Spiced honey chamomile cooler

4 chamomile tea bags

4 cinnamon sticks

20 whole cloves

1/2 cup honey

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add tea bags, cinnamon, and cloves; let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove cinnamon and cloves and stir in honey and lemon juice.

Place in refrigerator until chilled. Pour over ice and garnish with fresh lemon slices.

Makes 4 servings.

For an extra kick, try these variations:

For a fruity flavor, add 1 tablespoon orange juice to each glass.

Add 2 tablespoons rum or whisky to each glass for a "spiked" version.

Honey raspberry iced tea

2 cups freshly brewed tea

2 cups cranberry-raspberry juice

1/4 cup honey

In a large, heat-proof pitcher, whisk together all ingredients until thoroughly combined and honey is dissolved. Chill until ready to serve. To serve, pour over ice.

Makes 4 servings.

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