Ginger Lemon Iced tea
Photo by: Claudia Alexander
I first heard of White Dragon’s Breath Tea from a friend who assured me it would help with my congestion. The recipe was kind of complicated, involving a huge copper cauldron with vast amounts of lemon juice and ginger. It was soothing and did the trick, but it took an afternoon to make, and I had enough to tea to heal the neighborhood. The following recipe has a similar taste, and you can have it warm as well as cold, but it only takes about 5 minutes prep time and one hour of steeping. I keep a jug of this drink on the door of my fridge most of the summer. For variation you can change the flavor of the tea. I have used both black and herbal tea; you can also try sparkling water instead of tap. If you want an adult version— a shot of bourbon hits the spot.
Makes 6 cups
Ingredients:
5 cups water
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup scant sliced ginger
2/3 cup lemon juice (4-6 lemons depending on size and juiciness)
2 tea bags of fruity black tea such as blackcurrant, Constant Comment, or herbal if you prefer.
Directions:
Cut the ginger into coins about 1/2” thick. You don’t need to peel the ginger, just wash it, and give it a quick scrub. In a medium saucepan add 3 cups water, sugar, and ginger slices. Bring to a boil, shut off the heat, cover and let macerate for at least one hour. While it is stewing, make the tea. Pour 2 cups of boiling water over two tea bags and steep for about 5 minutes.
When the ginger mixture is ready, drain and add it to a large pitcher along with the lemon juice and the tea. Taste, and adjust if too strong by add some ice. I serve it over a glass of ice with a sprig of mint.