Peach Iced Tea

Ingredients

• ●2 quarts water
• ●4 black tea bags (or 3 tablespoons loose black tea)
• ●2 large ripe peaches, pitted and sliced (no need to peel)
• ●2 to 4 tablespoons honey or sugar (adjust to taste)
• ●Juice of 1 lemon
• ●Ice
• ●Fresh mint sprigs, for serving
• ●Peach slices, for garnish

Method

1. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Steep for 5 minutes (no longer — over-steeping makes it bitter). Remove the tea bags.
2. While the tea is hot, add the peach slices and honey. Stir until the honey dissolves. Let the peaches steep in the hot tea for 10 minutes.
3. Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water and the lemon juice. Stir well.
4. Strain out the peach slices (or leave them in for looks).
5. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours.
6. Serve over plenty of ice with a mint sprig and a fresh peach slice.
7. *Storage:** Refrigerate for up to 3 days. It gets better overnight as the peach flavor deepens.
8. *Seasonal note:** This works best with freestone peaches (the ones where the pit separates easily from the flesh). White peaches make a more delicate tea; yellow peaches are bolder. For a Southern-style version, double the honey. For a grown-up version, add a shot of bourbon.