Hibiscus Iced Tea

Warm weather makes me crave never-ending glasses of iced tea. Usually I brew my own, with whatever tea I have on hand-- green jasmine, ginger, or this gorgeous magenta hibiscus from Traditional Medicinals. 

HIBISCUS ICED TEA

5-6 TRADITIONAL MEDICINALS ORGANIC HIBISCUS TEA BAGS

THUMB SIZE PIECE OF GINGER, PEELED AND SLICED 

1 LEMON

PITCHER WITH ICE

Tie the tea bags in a knot so they don't separate during the steeping process. Peel and slice the ginger (a spoon works beautifully and won't cut you) and set into a tea mesh sieve or right into the glass pyrex cup. I recommend glass (like this Pyrex quart cup) instead of plastic for steeping the tea, since the boiling water will heat the plastic significantly. 

Let the tea steep and cool for about 30 minutes to 1 hour. Discard the ginger and tea bags, and pour the tea over ice and sliced lemon in a pitcher. Follow the tea with filtered water to dilute and increase the volume. Serve in chilled glasses and it will stay extra icy on a hot day. 

I love this tea because it's caffeine free, full of tart flavor, and is super refreshing (and pretty to look at) on those days when only iced tea will suffice.