Karlonian Iced Tea
December 1st, 2007
Since I have not done a recipe post for a while, I might as well share with you my formula for making delicious iced tea. I have been using the same method and ingredient proportions for the past 20 years or so, and I have yet to find an iced tea that tastes better than this one.
On the surface, there is nothing particularly special about the beverage; it’s basically just a standard black tea solution, with some sugar and lemon added for flavor. However, there are three things that make it somewhat different from most of the other varieties:
1) I use fewer tea bags but let them steep for a longer time, then dilute the mixture to just the right strength. This is not only more economical, but it also reduces the amount of bitterness and caffeine content per unit of volume.
2) When adding sugar, I seem to use less than most other people (except for those who like unsweetened tea, but I usually find this rather bitter), but by “aging” the final mixture in the refrigerator, it seems to develop a sweeter and stronger taste over time.
3) Something about the particular proportions of tea, water, sugar, and lemon that are used, when combined with the standing time, make this beverage especially delicious and refreshing. But then again, this could be just an individual preference. You’ll have to try it and see if you can taste the difference. Here is the actual recipe:
