The sun is shining through my window so brightly this morning that I have to prematurely change out of my pyjama pants into shorts. I am not complaining about this at all, just pointing out that I'm feeling hot for the first time in what seems like a very, very long time. I notice that the snow is beginning to recede, too, because I can see the cement of our backyard patio peeking through. And, the birds are even singing about it, so it must be true: spring is on its way! You know you live in Canada when the temperature is 10 degrees and you race to get a pedicure so you can wear those sandals you bought on sale back in August ... but honestly, after such a long, hard winter, we are allowed to celebrate these small temperature gains.
For the last 6 months or so, my morning routine has consisted of immediately plugging the kettle in to brew a cup of whatever Tealee tea I crave. It has been terribly difficult to get out of my warm, cosy bed, so a hot cup of tea helps wake me up and keep me warm. This morning however, I felt like drinking my tea hot would be like giving grandma back the fifty dollar bill she gave me at christmas, only in this situation grandma is mother nature and the fifty is actually Spring. I needed something cooling, something refreshing. So, once I brewed a pot of Princess Presley, I decided to pop it in the fridge for a few hours to let it ice. Because Princess Presley is an herbal blend, you can even continue to steep it while it cools in the fridge for anywhere between 2 hours to over night. I am pretty impatient, so I only left the pot in the fridge for a few hours and opted to add lots of ice to make it extra cool and refreshing. The combination of strawberry and pineapple makes Princess Presley a lovely, fruity iced tea thats perfect for the first signs of Spring. Add a few fresh strawberries into your glass and an orange wedge on the side, and you might even start to imagine that you see bits of green sticking out from under all that white stuff!
Are you as ready for spring as I am? Here are three other great iced Tealee recipes you can make to kiss winter goodbye!
(The alcohol is optional, of course, but these teas definitely make perfect afterwork cocktails, too! ;) )
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1 cup. Cool Raspberry Mint Fresh Mint Leaves Raspberries (garnish) Ice Cubes 1/2 oz Gin (optional) |
1 cup. Assam Organic Black Tea 2 tsp. Lemon Juice 1 tsp. Honey 1 Lemon Slice (garnish) 1/2 oz Tequila (optional) |
2 cups Ti Kuan Yin Oolong Tea 2oz Apple Cider ½ Freshly Squeezed Lime 1 Lime Slice (garnish) 1 oz vodka (optional) |
Carolyn Hebert
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