Homemade Raspberry Iced Tea

Next time you have a summer barbecue or other outdoor gathering, liven it up by serving creative drinks instead of simply soda, beer and juice. A more creative cooling option for a hot day is homemade raspberry iced tea. This flavorful drink combines the sweetness of raspberries with black tea's strong flavor. Raspberries generally ripen in summer and fall, so you can take advantage of perfectly ripe berries to make this drink for summer parties. If you want to make raspberry iced tea during other seasons, feel free to use frozen raspberries instead.

Frozen Raspberries

• 1

  Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Remove the pot from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow to steep for approximately three minutes (or up to five for stronger tea); then remove the tea bags from the water.

• 2

  Add the frozen raspberries and optional sugar to the pot and stir thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Allow to sit for two to three minutes, stirring frequently.

• 3

  Pour the liquid through your strainer into your pitchers. Discard the berry pulp and seeds left in the strainer.

• 4

  Put the pitchers into your refrigerator and allow them to cool. When you are ready to serve the tea, put ice cubes in a glass and then pour the chilled tea over the ice cubes.

Fresh Raspberries

• 1

  Bring half of the water to a boil in a pot. Remove the pot from the heat and add the tea bags. Allow to steep for approximately three minutes (or up to five for stronger tea); then remove the tea bags from the water.

• 2

  Put the remainder of the water, the raspberries and the optional sugar into the saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the mixture gently for three minutes, stirring frequently.

• 3

  Pour the raspberry liquid through your strainer into your pot containing the brewed tea. Discard the berry pulp and seeds left in the strainer. Pour the tea from the pot into your pitchers.

• 4

  Put the pitchers into your refrigerator and allow them to cool. When you are ready to serve the tea, put ice cubes in a glass and then pour the chilled tea over the ice cubes.