By Britton Sharp
As in the famous lyrics from Joni Mitchell, “You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone.” If my life had a soundtrack, that song would have been playing when I moved to Eastern Europe and had to bid farewell to the beloved beverage of my southern heritage.
Growing up, nothing tasted more like home than a glass of sweet iced tea from a Mason jar while sitting in a rocking chair. Rather than being defeated by the move overseas, this creative, transplanted southerner began to experiment to get just the right mix of home. I also discovered a few new recipes by adding a splash of fruit to my teas to go with the season.
My family’s last name is Sharp, but we’re a Lipton family when it comes to tea. I prefer Lipton for the classic tea experience. The recipes below come from several years of trial and error (I left out the error recipes), culminating in what my friends now refer to as “B’s Teas.”
I hope you enjoy them!
Classic Southern Tea
Don’t mess with a good thing!
*Ingredients: Lipton tea bags (family size or individual), Optional: Sugar
- Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add one, family size Lipton tea bag or four, individual Lipton tea bags.
- Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice mahogany brown color. (Note: The darker the tea, the stronger the flavor.)
- For sweet tea, add your preferred amount of sugar to a serving pitcher. (Note: Sugar In The Raw will give you a slightly earthier flavor, while regular granulated sugar will produce the usual, classic taste.)
- Mix the tea into the serving pitcher—preferably over the kitchen sink—while the tea is still hot.
- Place the finished tea in the fridge to cool. (Note: Tea must be stored in the fridge. If left too long in the sun or at room temperature, it will take on a slightly fermented flavor.)
Peach Tea
Great for summer parties.
*Ingredients: 8 bags Twinings English Breakfast Tea (red box), 1 to 2 quarts peach juice (usually found in juice aisle) and fresh or frozen sliced peaches, Optional: Sugar
- Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add tea bags.
- Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice walnut brown color, slightly darker than mahogany.
- In a serving pitcher, mix peach juice to taste. For sweet tea, also add sugar to taste.
- Pour the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
- Place the finished tea in the fridge to cool. The longer the tea chills, the better it will taste so it is best if made the night before or a few hours ahead of time.
- Before serving, add some frozen peaches to the pitcher or serving cups.
Blueberry Tea
Great for July 4, late summer or early fall parties.
*Ingredients: 8 bags Twinings English Breakfast Tea (red box), 1 to 2 quarts blueberry juice (usually found in juice aisle) and frozen or fresh blueberries, Optional: Sugar
- Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add tea bags.
- Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice walnut brown color, slightly darker than a mahogany.
- In a serving pitcher, mix blueberry juice to taste. For sweet tea, also add sugar to taste.
- Mix the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
- Place the finished tea in the fridge to cool.
- Before serving, add some frozen blueberries to the pitcher or serving cups.
Apple Tea
Great for fall or winter parties.
*Ingredients: 4 bags Twinings English Breakfast Tea (red box), 4 bags Twinings Chai Spiced Tea (red box), 1 to 2 quarts apple juice, cinnamon sticks, nutmeg and apple slices, Optional: Sugar
- Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add Twinings English Breakfast tea bags and Twinings Chai Spiced tea bags.
- Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice mahogany brown color. (Note: The darker the tea, the stronger the flavor. The apple tea recipe can handle a slightly stronger tea flavor than the classic tea recipe.)
- In a serving pitcher, mix apple juice to taste. For sweet tea, also add sugar to taste.
- Mix the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
- This tea can be served cold or hot.
- For a spiced flavor, add cinnamon sticks and a pinch of nutmeg before serving. Lightly coat some apple slices with lemon juice to prevent them from browning too quickly. Add apples to the tea.
Orange Tea
Great for late fall, winter or early spring parties.
*Ingredients: 8 bags Twinings Lady Gray Tea (blue box), 1 to 2 quarts pulp-free or low-pulp orange juice and orange slices
- Bring two quarts of water to a boil. Add tea bags. Lady Gray tea has hints of citrus that complement the orange juice.
- Turn down the heat. Let the tea simmer until it’s a nice walnut brown color.
- In a serving pitcher, mix pulp-free or low-pulp orange juice to taste.
- Mix the tea into the serving pitcher while the tea is still hot.
- You may chill this tea in the fridge or serve it hot.
- Before serving, add some orange slices to the pitcher or serving cups.
Britton Sharp Website Contact
UT Knoxville, Campus Ministers Council, Collegiate Abbey
Britton is an artist, writer, gardener, husband and father. When he isn’t chasing toddlers with his wife, Brooks, you can find Britton writing in a coffee shop or water color painting downtown. As vice president of the Campus Ministers Council and director of Collegiate Abbey, he works to provide self-care resources to UT Knoxville faculty and staff.