Catalina Citrus Sun Tea Recipe

The Tea Deck | Chronicle, 2008

For a delightful citrus sun tea, simply set a pitcher of water with tea bags in a sunny spot, and within a few hours the clear water will turn a golden brown. Then, all that’s left to do is to swirl the bags, squeeze in the fresh fruit juices, and enjoy.–Sara Perry

Hands-On Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 3 hours, 10 minutes, not including chilling | Serves 6 to 8

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Ingredients

1/2 to 3/4 cup black tea leaves, or 9 to 12 tea bags
4 cups (1 quart) cold water
3 tablespoons sugar
6-inch sprig of fresh mint
2 cups fresh orange juice
Juice of 1 lemon
1 peeled (white pith removed) and seeded orange, cut into thin pieces
Orange slices and mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. In a 2-quart glass jar, combine the tea, water, sugar, and mint. Screw on the cap and shake gently. Place the jar in the sun in a warm location for 3 hours.
2. Stir the orange juice and lemon juice into the tea mixture. Add the orange pieces and refrigerate for several hours. To serve, pour over ice, and garnish with orange slices and mint leaves.

Raspberry-Citrus Sun Tea Fizz

Follow the recipe for Citrus Sun Tea. Place 1 to 2 tablespoons raspberry syrup in a 10-ounce glass. Fill the glass one-third to one-half full with the chilled tea, and top with your favorite sparkling water. For a subtler taste, omit the syrup and add your favorite raspberry-flavored sparkling water.