berry good iced tea

This recipe comes from my first cookbook; a collection of 15 delicious recipes for ice cold beverages perfect for parties and hot summer days, Summertime Sippers is available in print for $6.99 or in digital format for $2.99.

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The following is an excerpt from my first cookbook, Summertime Sippers, a collection of 15 refreshing recipes sure to quench your thirst in the summertime heat. Visit the Book Shop for more excerpts and information.

Berry Good Iced Tea

Yes, it's true that you can find berry flavored black tea bags, but does the final result taste as fruity as it would if you used regular tea and real berries? Try out this recipe and you'll discover for yourself.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup blackberries
1/2 cup raspberries
1/4 cup agave nectar
3 family sized black tea bags

DIRECTIONS
Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add berries and simmer for 20 minutes on medium-high heat until berries have cooked thoroughly, whisking periodically.

After the blackberries and raspberries have broken up and are mostly dissolved, carefully strain the berry mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a 2-quart container with 1 cup of ice at the bottom. It will be hot, so go slowly. Squish the blueberries as you strain the mixture to ensure that all of the juices have been extracted.

In a microwave safe measuring cup, warm 1 and 1/2 cups of water for three minutes. Add the tea bags and let steep for approximately five minutes (you can do this while your berries are boiling if desired). Remove the tea bags, squeezing the excess water from each, before adding the agave nectar and stirring until dissolved.

Pour the tea and agave mixture into the 2-quart container. Add more ice if desired and fill to the 2-quart line. Chill thoroughly before serving over ice. Makes 2 quarts.