Fruit Tea

What do I miss most about Nashville?  Fruit tea.  Okay, maybe sometimes I miss my family, but mostly fruit tea.  A staple of many Nashville dining establishments, fruit tea is a glorious, refreshing concoction to be enjoyed at any time.  I finally found a recipe that lived up to my high expectations.  Is it better than sweet tea?  I'm not going to say it is, but I'm also not going to say it isn't.  You can decide for yourself!

Fruit Tea

Makes 2 quarts (64 oz)

Ingredients:

1 batch of Iced tea concentrate

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup pineapple juice

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lemon juice

Orange and lemon slices for garnish (optional)

For the iced tea concentrate, I use Tazo Iced Black Tea, easily found at Kroger, etc.  The tea bags are designed for making 64 oz of tea.  If you are using regular-sized black tea bags, use 5 bags.

For the juices, I actually buy the frozen concentrates.  I divide each can into thirds, freezing the other two portions for later use.  

1) Bring 32 oz of water to a boil.  Add to a pitcher with the tea bag(s).  Allow to steep for 5 minutes.  Remove the tea bags and stir in the sugar.  Set the pitcher aside to cool slightly.

2) Add the pineapple, orange, and lemon juices, and the fruit slices if using, and fill the remainder of the pitcher with cold water.  Stir to dissolve the juice concentrates.  Refrigerate until cold.

3) Allow at least 20 minutes before serving for the flavors to meld.