Tea

[Professor S]

Sun tea is delicious. Simply made: On a hot summer day put tea bags in a clear jar and set it outside in the sun. Let it brew for a few hours, and then add flavors to taste. I like lemon and fresh mint.

They key is the heat. The water gets very warm in the sun but never gets close to boiling or even simmering. This brings out the best flavors of the tea and avoids all the off-flavors that can come from hot water.

[Bond]

Originally Posted by Professor S

Sun tea is delicious. Simply made: On a hot summer day put tea bags in a clear jar and set it outside in the sun. Let it brew for a few hours, and then add flavors to taste. I like lemon and fresh mint.

They key is the heat. The water gets very warm in the sun but never gets close to boiling or even simmering. This brings out the best flavors of the tea and avoids all the off-flavors that can come from hot water.

Do you think this is legitimate or nonsense?

http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp

[Professor S]

Originally Posted by Bond

Do you think this is legitimate or nonsense?

http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp

Legitimate in that it is possible, but not likely at all. I've drank literally 100s of gallons of the stuff throughout my life and have never had an issue. To be honest, it's your normal CDC/FDA overreaction more written to avoid litigation than promote food safety. I do agree that you shouldn't leave the tea out for more than a few hours, but the descriptions that are given in that article describe something that has been left out overnight or longer.

Then again, I've always brewed in either well or spring water. Municipal tap water never passes my lips beyond brushing my teeth. Nasty stuff for various reasons, mainly residual bacteria and preservative chemicals not to mention the terrible taste.

[Typhoid]

I've heard of this, but never seriously tried it. Would you advise just brewing some earl grey and then sticking it in the refrigerator for a while? I'd assume ice cubes would dilute the taste?

I only add the cubes because it's hot out. It definitely dilutes it, but it's cold.
I would advise that, however.
I mean hell - you're never going to know if it's worth it to start doing unless you try doing it at least once.



And I think that sun tea bacteria thing has more to do with local water and just erring on the side of caution rather than a standard rule for everyone everywhere. It just says "it can make you ill" - for a lot of people simply drinking local tap water can make you ill. So I give that one a big fucking "meh". Live a little.

Edit: Further reading on that Snope's sun tea thing leads me to believe that it's no big deal, and simply to stop people from steeping tea in dirty jars full of shitty water.

[Vampyr]

My mom typically uses this to make cold tea:

http://www.liptont.com/our_products/..._iced_tea.aspx

It's actually my favorite kind of tea. Especially good if you add some sugar while it's hot.