Berry Iced Tea

When you’re headed for the road (beach trip!) or it’s too early in the day for cocktails, you still need something summery in hand. Drinks should be fresh and festive even when they are non-alcoholic.

Long, scorching days signal access to ripe berries, making this the perfect time of year for an iced white tea with juicy raspberries and blueberries. White teas have a delicate sweetness that marries well with their flavors. Harvested when the tea leaves are still young, white varieties also are lighter and often more refreshing than green and black teas. I recommend selecting one with fruity notes for this recipe.

Grab your muddler and read on.

Ingredients

5 white tea bags
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar
Additional berries for garnish

Now that berries are in season, they are my fruit of choice for tarts, barbecue sauce, and drinks. Since iced tea should be chilled in the refrigerator rather than over ice, which is too diluting, there is enough time to macerate berries, making them tender and juicy, before adding them into the mix. About 45 minutes on the counter with a sprinkling of sugar helps them to release their natural juices, creating a lightly sweet, bright syrup. By the time you’ve packed your beach bag, everything will be ready to stir together.

Prepare the iced tea by bringing 5 cups of water to a boil and letting them rest for a minute as white tea brews better in not quite boiling water. Steep tea for 4 minutes. Discard tea bags and allow tea to cool at room temperature for about 45 minutes before chilling in the refrigerator.

When the tea is almost completely chilled, combine the blueberries and raspberries in a bowl and use a muddler or wooden spoon to lightly mash them. Blueberries have a thick skin, so this will help to move the softening process along. Sprinkle with the sugar and allow to sit at room temperature, stirring occasionally, for about 45 minutes.

Pour macerated berries and their juices into the pitcher of chilled tea. Berry pieces will mostly settle at the bottom and can be spooned into individual glasses or just left in the pitcher. If you prefer to eliminate the berry pieces entirely, use a fine mesh sieve when pouring the macerated berry and syrup mixture into the tea. Press with a muddler to release as much berry juice as possible.

Serve in tall glasses filled with ice. Top with additional berries if desired. I prefer to drink this with no additional sweetener, but simple syrup can be used if you prefer more sweetness.