While scribbling notes that will become to-do lists, drafts of recipes, or thoughts that I “park” on paper ready for take-off like in a hangar, I reach out a distracted hand towards the glass of iced tea.
The cool liquid trickles down my throat, generating a flood of memories. So pleasant that I put my pen down without even noticing.
The iced tea of my childhood summers.
I love iced tea in summer just as much as hot tea in winter.
But while winter tea has become a ritual of adulthood, the iced tea my grandmother used to make was one of my favorite drinks in the summers when I was a child.
I could drink iced tea in moderation, I think to ward off the effects of the teine. Mum was quite firm about this. Grandma, on the contrary, was more accommodating. And since she was responsible for my merenda, and all my meals, she allowed me to have a glass between a game and a bike ride.
Of course, since it was limited, it was never enough. Maybe that’s why today I drink my iced tea in one of the biggest glasses I have. Just one, but huge.
I also add lots of ice to it, even though it is fresh from the fridge.
Later I discovered packaged iced tea with its amount of sugars, flavorings, and preservatives. And even though I didn’t particularly like it, when I invited my friends home, I no longer wanted homemade tea served in jugs tarnished by the ice that clinked to announce the start of the snack.
And now that I am on the threshold of the age of memories, I wish I could go back to those summer days of games and iced tea. Above all, I would like to say something that I don’t think I have often said to my grandmother: thank you.
Preparing.
Depending on the occasion, nonna would pour the tea into the carafe or the glass bottle with the stopper.
In the first case, there was a merenda or a party planned, while a simple bottle was mainly for the use of the family.
Grandma would make a light tea using a couple of bags of breakfast tea. Tea culture was not as widespread as today, nor were there today’s shops where you could choose from so many different types and scents.
Sara didn’t add sugar, and I have been used to drinking it this way ever since.
Both in summer and winter, I sometimes add a few drops of lemon or milk.
I have also prepared a fresh and natural iced tea but, while the hot tea is still brewing, you can add sugar or a sweetener such as honey or maple syrup.
I used a light green tea which I flavored with aromatic leaves and flowers. You can choose between basil, oregano, and thyme. If it’s not flowering time, use the leaves.
Buona cucina, Monica
Summer soft drinks.
Lemon barley water keeps the taste of old-fashioned drinks but is not as sweet as traditional barley water – you can find the recipe here.
Sometimes, especially when I’m looking for immediate relief from the summer heatwave, I prepare simple water flavored with lemon and rosemary.
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Food tips.
Choose your preferred tea blend or tea bags. If you use a light green tea quality, you only need a few minutes of infusion. With black tea, I leave for 5 minutes.
Flavor the tea with leaves and flowers of an aromatic plant you like. You can choose between basil, thyme, and oregano. Mint is a great classic but not my favorite.
Aromatic flowery iced tea recipe
for a one-liter jug or bottle
List of Ingredients
plenty of natural water, one liter
teaspoons of green tea, 3
3 sprigs of thyme with flowers (in season)
filtered juice of one lemon
ice cubes
Method
Heat the water to a simmer and turn it off.
In a teapot, put your favorite tea mix and two sprigs of aromatics that have been gently rinsed and dried (especially if they have flowers), and pour the hot water.
Leave to infuse for a few minutes.
Then strain and pour into a jug. Add the lemon juice and ice, stir and store in the fridge.
At the moment of serve, pour it into glasses and garnish with sprigs of the aromatic you used. If they are in bloom, even better!
