I have made this tea every week since I first created this post (four times) Thought I should share with you while the strawberries are so juicy and tasty. With or without a basil sprig this tea is very refreshing and just quenches your thirst – perfect for hot summer days and it’s so pretty too!
I am basically a hot coffee drinker but I do enjoy a cold brew of iced tea when the weather is warm. I grew up with Lipton Tea and basically that was all I was familiar with until recent years. It’s been fun to experiment with different flavors and even infusing the teas with fresh herbs and fruit. While the fruit continues to be fresh I decided to make this hibiscus tea with fresh strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and a sprig of basil – all favorites! The strawberry flavor really came through in the tea – just delicious. The next time you make some tea try infusing it with fresh fruit and or herbs – you won’t be disappointed!
Infuse definition: to steep in liquid so as to extract the essential flavors of the ingredients.
Here are some tea recipes I have made since I started my blog:
Lemon Verbena and Mint Iced Tea
Hibiscus Tea with Mint (no fruit)
Ginger and Jasmine Tea Sushi Rice
This recipe came from “Infuse Oil Spirit Water” by Eric Prum and Josh Williams. I learned the value of using tea leaves instead of tea bags with this recipe.
Summer Berry Hibiscus Tea
- 3 tbsp. loose leaf hibiscus tea (see comment below on tea bags versus loose leaf tea)
- 5 strawberries (for more strawberry flavor you could cut the berries in half which I did not do as they were so sweet)
- 1/2 cup raspberries
- 1/2 cup blueberries
- couple of small basil leaves (optional) the basil adds another layer of flavor – don’t add too much!
- 24 oz. water (I had 1/4 cup left over – you could make room by reducing the raspberries and blueberries but not the strawberries – optional) I made it twice and left out the raspberries the second time and didn’t have any water left.
- 32 oz. container (Mason jar if you have one)
Add all the ingredients to the Mason jar; seal and shake to combine. Refrigerate for at least 6 hours. This is called cold brewing (see Comment below).
Strain through a double layer of cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve and serve over ice. Garnish with additional fresh berries and a basil sprig. The tea will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Comment:
I have generally thought about tea in tea bags – I mean it was quick, easy and you can find all kinds of varieties at your local grocery store. However, since this post I see the difference in loose leaf. I will still use tea bags in a pinch but I’ve come to believe the benefits loose leaf tea brings to a beverage.
Cold brewing the tea for several hours slowly brings out the flavors of the tea and the layers of fresh fruit only added to the brewing process only deepens the flavor. This is what is called infusion of the fruit with the tea. Pros are more flavorful than tea bags, more options to choose from and a higher concentration of health benefits. Look online for all the benefits of hibiscus tea – quite impressive! Cons are it can cost more than tea bags and takes more steps to prepare and harder to find. Of course there are always online sources!
Recipe by cookingwithauntjuju.com
Love this! I have hot tea every afternoon around 4:00 pm, but this fruit infused tea sounds like a delicious change for these hot summer days. And the timing is perfect since the hibiscus here in Houston are in full bloom.
Thanks – lucky you to live where Hibiscus flourish. They love the heat – hope you can make it soon 🙂
This looks so fresh and flavorsome!
I agree about loose leaf teas, though, as you said, will still use teabags when in a rush.
Thanks – I guess I like this tea since I”ve made it four times. Fresh, sweet strawberries give the tartness of the hibiscus a sweet touch 🙂
Yum … A refreshing & beautiful drink!
Thanks – I think it’s perfect for the summer when the strawberries are so sweet and juicy 🙂
this sounds very fruity and refreshing!
Pretty too 🙂
This looks fantastic! I am also a coffee drinker but in the afternoon, the weather is way too warm ( I live in Florida). I have a whole bag of dried hibiscus I purchased while traveling. I was going to make cocktail shrubs and simple syrups. Now, I have something new to make! Thanks for sharing.
Velva
Thanks very much! I love using hibiscus flowers – the color and slightly tart flavor. I have a few recipes using these flowers; BBQ sauce, syrups, etc. I hope you enjoy the recipe – ripe strawberries give it a little sweetness 🙂