Mint Iced Tea Lemonade

I feel very serendipitous posting this recipe because I never thought I would have it in my possession. A rather simple combination, but I thought it was forever to be remembered as that “delicious iced tea I had that one time at your parents’ friends’ house.”

I had it at friends of Joe’s parents a couple years ago. We ate lunch at a table under a tree on the top of a sloping hill. I had several glasses of this and I remember the husband proudly saying he always knows someone is coming over when he smells mint soaking in the kitchen. Last Christmas, the same family published a cookbook, The Daily Feast, and the recipe was included!

A mix of black tea, mint, and a carton of lemonade. Ends up tasting like lightly sweetened, perfectly lemony iced tea.

I think of iced tea as a very savvy hostess thing. Like, at a certain stage in your life, you always have a pitcher of iced tea ready for guests. With the sheer laziness that has overtaken my life these days, it’s mostly just this and popsicles for guests around here.

Lemon-Mint Iced Tea, from The Daily Feast

4 quarts water, divided

one big handful fresh mint leaves on stems, washed

5 black tea bags (or decaf, if you prefer)

12 oz. can frozen lemonade concentrate

Bring two quarts of water to a bowl. Place the fresh mint and tea bags in a stainless steel pot. Pour the boiling water over the tea bags and mint and allow to steep for 30 minutes. Strain.

Add the frozen lemonade to the tea mixture. Stir in the additional 2 quarts water to make 1 gallon tea. To serve, pour over ice and garnish with fresh mint, if you have it.