There are still some warm days ahead this summer and a nice way to enjoy an outdoor evening is with family, friends and a tall glass of iced tea. Freshly brewed iced tea is enjoyable unsweetened for many folks, but a lot of us prefer some extra flavor in our tea as well. Rather than just a little sugar, a creative way to give guests a choice of sweeteners is by creating a buffet of simple syrups and garnishes. From sweetened lemon to an aromatic lavender, these homemade syrups offer a palate pleasing smorgasbord. And, by adding garnishes like lemon slices, peach wedges, skewers of blackberries, umbrella straws and more, guests can uniquely customize every glass. So, brew a big jug of tea, put out the syrups and garnishes and enjoy the summer nights still to come. Just for grins, I've also added a recipe for rosemary macadamia nut crackers. The salty taste is perfect with a glass of sweet tea.
Big Jug Of Brewed Iced Tea
for about 1 1/2 gallons of iced tea
ingredients
3/4 cu Black Tea, like a ceylon
6 cu Water
Ice
Method
Fill a large container with ice. Place tea in a strainer pot. Bring water to a boil. Pour water over tea and cover to steep for 2 minutes. Strain liquid and pour over ice. Add cold water to top off container if necessary.
Basic Lemon Simple Syrup
Ingredients
2 cu Water
2 cu Granulated Sugar
zest of 1 Lemon
juice of 1 Lemon
Pour water and sugar in a large pot over hight heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add lemon zest and juice. Bring mixture to a boil. Remove from heat, cover pot and let it sit for 20 minutes. Strain syrup into a sealable container. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to used.
Lavender Simple Syrup
ingredients
2 1/4 cu Water
2 cu Granulated Sugar
3 tbl Dried Lavender Buds
Method
Pour water and sugar in a medium pot over hight heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add lavender and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, cover pot and let it sit for 20 minutes. Strain syrup into a sealable container. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to used.
Rosemary Simple Syrup
Ingredients
2 1/4 cu Water
2 cu Granulated Sugar
4 oz Fresh Rosemary, roughly chopped
Method
Pour water and sugar in a medium pot over hight heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add rosemary and bring to a rolling boil. Remove from heat, cover pot and let it sit for 20 minutes. Strain syrup into a sealable container. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to used.
Peach Mango Simple Syrup
ingredients
1 lb Peaches, about 2 medium
1 lb Mangos, about 1 large
2 1/2 cu Water
2 cu Granulated Sugar
Pour water and sugar in a large pot over hight heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Roughly chop fruit with the skin on and add to the pot. Bring mixture to a bring. Reduce heat, add a cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture site, covered, for an additional 20 minutes. Strain syrup into a sealable container. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to used.
Triple Berry Simple Syrup
ingredients
1/2 pint Raspberries
1/2 pint Blueberries
1/2 pint Blackberries
juice of half a Lemon
1 3/4 cu Water
1 3/4 cu Sugar
Pour water and sugar in a medium pot over hight heat. Stir to dissolve sugar. Put berries in a large sealable plastic bag. Seal the bag and smash the berries. Pour smashed berries into the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, add a cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let mixture site, covered, for an additional 20 minutes. Strain syrup into a sealable container. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until ready to used.
Macadamia Rosemary Crisps
makes about 36
Ingredients
1/4 cu Ground Macadamia Nuts
3/4 cu All Purpose Flour
2 tsp dried Rosemary
8 oz Butter
1 cu Grated Parmiggiano Reggiano
1 cu Grated Dubliner Irish Cheese
1/4 tsp Fine Ground Salt, regular table salt
Additional Coarse Kosher Salt
Method
Place macadamia nuts, flour and rosemary into a food processor. Pulse until ingredients are fully blended. Add butter, cheeses and the 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Process ingredients until mixture comes together and forms a dough. Remove from the food processor and shape into a log about 8" long. Wrap log in plastic wrap and place on a flat surface in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Unwrap dough and, using a sharp knife, slice 1/4" disks and place them on a lined baking sheet (using parchment paper or a baking pad). Constantly rotate dough so that you aren't flattening out the circular shape. Lightly sprinkle disks with coarse salt, just a few crystals on each. Bake for about 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool crisps on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve at room temperature.
If you have any comments or questions, please send me an email at wayne@waynesweekend.com or follow me on Facebook or Twitter.
