Minty Iced Tea

My mom taught me how to make a delicious iced tea with fresh mint.  I find this tea to be very refreshing in the summer, and it can really give me a little burst of energy on a hot afternoon! 

The tea is simple to make with regular black tea, sugar, and fresh mint.

First I make a simply syrup on the stove by mixing equal parts granulated sugar and water and stirring until the sugar dissolves.  I heat this slowly until it simmers, adding a few springs of mint once the sugar is pretty much dissolved.

Then I simply take the pot off the heat, cover it, and the syrup steep for a while, at least 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile I've brewed a big pitcher of hot tea.  Once the syrup is steeped and cooled a little, I mix it into the tea.  Then I usually let the pitcher cool down for a couple of hours before refrigerating it.

For a gallon of tea, I use 4 or 5 tea bags, 2/3-3/4 c. water and sugar, and a few springs of mint.  That makes the tea lightly sweetened, which I prefer.  Of course, you can use any proportions that suit your tastes.  Enjoy!

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