National Iced Tea Month

Yay! June is National Iced Tea Month!

Too cool if I say so myself. :)

Iced tea is an American phenomenon and we've been drinking it since the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair (or so the story goes). There is a great story about it in Tea Time magazine. That same story discusses the original Sweet Tea recipe. That recipe didn't sound anything like the one Lady Decca shared with Xyra a couple of years ago.

Xyra grew up drinking a local grocery store's instant iced tea. It comes powdered like Countrytime Lemonade or Kool-Aid. Now, she's not sure how she used to drink it. It's just too sweet. The best iced tea is fresh brewed not from a powder. [Of course, if you prefer the other that's awesome too.]

One of the ways to make fresh brewed iced tea is with a Mr. Coffee Iced Tea Maker. [We'll cover the other ways in other posts.] This is a fun machine. 

You add water to the machine, fill the pitcher to the line with ice, put your tea in the filter basket - we use 4 regular sized bags: 3 Luzianne and 1 Bigelow Blueberry Harvest - place the pitcher next to the machine and press the button. 

Lanie did the prep work. (We put the tags in the basket for the picture, but they hang out of the basket while brewing. Tag paper doesn't brew as well as the filter paper holding the tea.)

Kirsten went to check it out.

You can put a paper filter in the basket and use loose leaf to brew your tea too. The water that goes through the basket is hot. It stays hot until it hits the ice in the pitcher.

Kaya found the end product, "Yay! We have tea!" First home brewed iced tea of the season - that's always an event.

Most of the time you will still have ice in the pitcher, but it doesn't last long.

Pour out and enjoy!

Trivia! And on Kaya. :)

Did you know that Kaya's has a beautiful horse named Steps High?

Do you have a pet that you are proud of? What kind of pet is it? What is his/her name? Why is he/she special to you?

Found the Picture!

Yesterday I couldn't find this picture, but I did today. This shows the squeezer and holder Xyra has at her desk.

Tea Jewels

Xyra has the cutest charm bracelet. The toggle for the closure is a teaspoon and the charms are...well you can see it for yourself. It was a great find and she wears it a lot.

Next Week - Coolspring!

Just a reminder, we will be away so there won't be any posts next week.

Have a great week!

Best wishes to all!
Melody, Kaya, Kirsten, Lanie, & Xyra