I’m back with Tea Week, Take 2! If you weren’t here for the first part of Tea Week, here’s what you missed!
Smart Food: Cold-Brewed Tea
I think cold-brewing is the easiest way to make tea, because you don’t have to worry about the water temperature or brew time nearly as much as you do with hot tea. Plus, it is perfect for the hot summer months! It was close to 90 degrees last weekend when we were gardening, and I guzzled so much cold tea that day!
Admittedly, Ithaca has been too chilly since Monday for iced tea, and I’ve been leaning more towards hot. But once the temperature gets back above the low 60s, I will definitely be drinking some more cold-brewed tea! 
Cold-brewed tea tends to have a lighter, sweeter taste than hot teas, because the cold water doesn’t pull out the tannins. I’ve found that I can really pick out the subtle flavors more from cold-brewed than hot tea, too!
To cold-brew tea, you will need:
- Tea leaves or bags. Use twice as much as you would for hot tea.
- A pitcher.
- Water.
Simply put the water and tea leaves/bags in the pitcher, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Strain out the tea leaves or remove the bags, and enjoy. Couldn’t be simpler, right? You can even use the same leaves/bags for 2-3 pitchers for most teas!
*Edited to Note: Apparently, I’ve been using the pitcher wrong this whole time! You actually just put the bags or leaves directly into the pitcher, and the cap will filter the tea for you when you pour yourself a glass! This is even easier! *
My favorite way to cold-brew tea is to use my infusion pitcher, because I can put the tea leaves in the basket attached to the lid, and don’t have to worry about straining it at the end! I love it so much, I have added it to my shop. For $35, you can get the pitcher, some Blueberry Rooibos tea, and Citrus Mountain Oolong tea. Both are fabulous fruity options, perfect on a hot summer day. I highly recommend this pitcher for its convenience, but you can really use anything!
Smart Fitness
Dan and I finally got out on our bikes earlier this week. I didn’t want to go too far and overexert my IT band, so we kept it to 8.4 miles in about 40 minutes. I don’t know what happened, but I am suddenly much speedier, even going uphill! No complaints here
Smart Life
My graduation present to myself, a stand mixer, is scheduled to arrive today. Yippee! I’m so excited to play in the kitchen with it. What should I make first….
1) today i am drinking tea for the first time in a long long LONG time. I’m talking, several months here. I had hot brewed tea, because it is chilly and stormy today.
2) HOORAY FOR STAND MIXER DAY.
i vote stones.
or muffins.
or stones.
or muffins.
or – oh my gosh. COOKIES.
today i told Jen that my favorite food group is Cookies.
This revelation came to me when I finished eating a raspberry jam shortbread cookie with my tea.
i was thining to myself,
“self. shortbread cookies are clearly your favorite cookies”
and then i thought
“wait. no they are not. you like oatmeal cookies with lots of extras.”
and then i thought
“what about those toffee butter cookies? are those a type of shortbread?”
and then i thought
“you know. there is something to be said for a good old fashioned chocolate chip. or peanut butter. or sugar…. oh my gosh. i love cookies!”
also.
i was just thinking.
maybe i should look into a goat cookie cutter.
because you KNOW that goat cookies would be the most adorable.
goat shaped sugar cookies.
SHUGAR cookies.
ahem.
You know, stones just don’t sound that appetizing…
But scones do!
And thank you for the reminder that I need to get cute cookie cutters. More specifically, the ‘Motion W’ and Bucky Badger ones I saw the other day…
stone. bahahaha.
i’m a fool. xo
I definitely vote for scones
I vote for bread!
Also, I just saw the photo of the mixer that you posted on Twitter. Very pretty! You will love it! I’m excited to see all of the yummy things you make!
I vote for some really complex cookies for your de-virginizing of the stand mixer
Marshmallows! Marshmallows!
Thank you for the cold tea how to! My neighbor makes “sun tea, but it schkeeves (sp?) me out a little bit: water sitting practically uncovered in the sun full of leaves for several hours… :/
Anyway, MARSHMALLOWS! hehe
Scones, please, scones!!! Gosh I adore them!
And I always make cold-brewed tea in the hot summers! I heard this in NPR for some reason.
Oooh! YaY for the return of tea week! I am sad to admit that I’ve never made cold-brewed tes before — but I have some lovely flavors at home that I think would work well. (Btw: can I just say for the record that I am jealous of the cool weather you’ve got in Ithaca — we definitely need our cold tea here in OH
Also… I vote scones… yummmm…