I’ve decided to hold onto the last three-year-old Lipton tea: a mimento of the first four chapters of The Iced Tea Chronicles. Last week as I paused in the tea section of Shop ‘N Save gazing in rapt wonder at the array of as others might do contemplating a painting by Mike Myosky, the options for my next tea involved more than the excellent advice of good people whose encouraging words and advice have guided me in the path. My first choice was Constant Comment which Vachel Lindsay House Historic Site Director Jennie Battles brews to perfection after events at the historic landmark. It didn’t come in 100 bag boxes and worse, had no directions for “sun tea.” Directions were for brewing only two quarts at a time. I understand that fresher-brewed tea from a two-quart pitcher tastes better than tea brewed four days previously in a gallon jug. But I’m not in that league yet. I decided that Constant Comment is intended for those who are comfortable with Quisinarts or have hired hands who are. Even so, I have a hunch I shall return someday to Constant Comment, simply because I know it tastes great as iced tea.
The only brand other than Lipton available in boxes larger than the Celestial Seasonings teas which dominate the shelves in their profusion of flavors was Luzianne. It was smaller than the Lipton boxes, but for the time being, I didn’t care if there were fewer bags; I just wanted more than Celestial and Constant. And Luzianne had directions for making a gallon at a time: nine bags to the jug. I enjoyed my first sip four hours after I set it brewing on the counter and noticed that as wtih Lipt, the sun seems irrelevant to the process. If the color of the water is valid indication, tea seems to brew fine in four hours. Let it go longer than that, and there’s no real further darkening.
Surprise! The box of Luzianne also had 100 bags, but they were not wrapped in perforated paper as Lipton’s had been. This was good. No tedious opening of each bag before brewing.
The difference between Lipt and Luz is the difference between Coke and Dr. Pepper. They may look the same, but Luzianne has a distinct flavor signature that tells the Lipton palate there is a new angle to consider. It was not hard to enjoy, but it did take some getting used to. For half the pot, when preparing a tall glass, I added a spoon or two of the remaining Lipton instant and probably more lemon juice than optimal. I had a hard time finding the right combination. I probably used too much sugar in making that first gallon. The second go roound of Luzianne seems to have come out just right with exactly 2/3 cup of sugar. A little lemon juice, plenty of ice, and it tastes just fine.
Another point about the second gallon of Luzianne. I filled the gallon jug with HOT water from the tap, inserted the nine bags, and it seemed to brew much faster. It may have accounted for less of that flavor signature element noticed in the first gallon last week. Judging by the color, I finished the brewing after about three hours today; not the usual four or five. Someone let me know if I’m committing a tea-crime by using hot tap water.
The results seem to justify it. I’m starting to think I’ve found total happiness in Luzianne, but I’m not betting on it. I’m good for the rest of the box of 100, but after that, I’ll probably spring for the Constant Comment or go Celestial. It seems I’m seeking a universe in a drop of water, and that’s okay.
As Bob Dylan concluded in his “Talking World War Three Blues” which I used to sing in coffee houses in the late 60s, “Don’t make fun of my dream, and I won’t make fun of yours.”
Live long . . . . . . and proper.
I used to make sun tea by using hot water from the tap as well. I suspect that the little bit of heat opens up the tea leaves a bit (like making a hot cup of tea) and allows the flavor to leach out faster.
I haven’t tried Luzianne tea. I’m struggling with adjusting from Lipton to Red Rose at the moment. Did you add both lemon and sugar to your iced tea jug? I always do that after I pour a glass, I hadn’t thought about trying it in the jug! Something new to consider!
I enjoy your blog!
~Annella
http://www.annella.wordpress.com
Annella —
Thanks for reading Honey & Quinine and your interesting post. I didn’t know about Red Rose tea, and will start looking for it after I finish the Luzianne. For a gallon of tea I add about 2/3 cup of white sugar. My friends recommend I use the brown “raw” rather than the white “refined” sugar, but I’ll stay with the white until I’ve used it all. When the sun tea has brewed, I remove the bags and pour half of it into another gallon bottle. I add the sugar then, capt the bottle and shake it vigorously to blend the sugar. Only half a bottle of tea permits stronger agitation than is possible with w nearly full bottle. THEN I add the rest of the rest of the tea from the brewing jug, shake the full bottle again and more completely blend the sugar with all of it. I do NOT add lemon until I’ve filled a serving glass with tea and ice. There’s always some guessing going on since the amount of lemom juice required for perfection is always less than a tablespoon, and I’d rather do that by “eyeball” method instead of getting a measuring spoon out.
I will visit your blog and hope you keep reading Honey & Quinine.
— Job
So, the way my mom made tea when I was a kid, is the same way I like to make iced tea now….
You take a pot, ceramic or iron or tempered glass, (like the one I gave you today…birthday boy…) and you put 6-9 teabags in it or 6-9 tsp. of loose tea and you pour boiling water on them… if you are lucky enough to have fresh mint, you put that in the pot, too, before you add the hot water. You can also add the sugar, if you choose to, before you put the boiling water in.
You let that sit for an hour or so, till it cools… then, you strain it, keep it in the fridge in the pot and use it as iced tea syrup every time you want a new glass.
You could use this same method with constant comment or any other herb tea and add fresh lemon or lime or oranges or cloves or any other spice, what ever sounds good. you just let it all cool and then strain it into your pot that you store in the refrigerator for the couple of days it takes you to finish it.
depending on how strong the tea is and how long you steep it, you figure out your own ratio to water and ice and then you can make it how ever it appeals to you because it is in syrup form… follow me?
It’s fun to experiment. s.
Btw, I think the best tasting tea bag out there is Salada.
Pretty hard to find anymore, but, they used to sell it all the grocery stores in Chicago… the old A&P…. it is delicious, Red Rose is an okay second, I guess.
Btw, I think the best tasting tea bag out there is Salada.
Pretty hard to find anymore, but, they used to sell it all the grocery stores in Chicago… the old A&P…. it is delicious, Red Rose is an okay second, I guess.
Sorry, forgot to add great post! Can’t wait to see your next post!
Only JC can make a passage about tea
sound interesting to me….and I love seeking the universe
in a
drop
of water….distinctly conger-voice, conger-attitude of acceptance…universal!