It…is…HOT! And I am certainly not the first to complain about the sweltering summer heat that we’re experiencing in Manila as of late!

One way to beat this inferno is with an ice cold (huge) glass of iced tea, which we did today! And there’s nothing like the homemade stuff. Here’s a recipe (with just estimates, because we only do this by taste):

Blueberry Lemon Iced Tea*

• Make some simple syrup (Simmer 1 cup sugar + 1 cup water until the sugar melts and allow to cool)
• Steep 4 bags of Celestial Tea’s Blueberry Breeze in 2 cups hot water. After 5-8 minutes, remove bags and allow liquid to cool.
• Juice of half a lemon
• Cold water
• Lots and lots of ice

In a pitcher, combine the simple syrup (Don’t use all of it! Just until it’s sweet enough for you!), tea, and lemon juice. Stir in some cold water to taste. Put lots of ice. Serve in glasses with – you guessed it – lots and lots of ice. Garnish with a wedge of lemon and a strawberry (because it looks pretty!) Enjoy.

Optional: Moisten the rims of the glasses with some water and dip in sugar before pouring the tea in them.

This recipe is enough for 3 large glasses.

* Also try replacing Blueberry Breeze with Mint Green Tea…soooooo good and super refreshing.