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A Guide To The Best Summer Iced Drinks

How have you been enjoying the weather? Here are some recipes for you to play around! Let’s make the best summer iced drinks and get over the heat of summer together.

At Camellia’s Tea House, we have experimented different flavour combinations and sampled new concoctions and have created a number of truly delicious summer drinks for you guys.

Generally, we cold brew the teas that we use for our ice drinks, as we have found that the brew has a sweeter, fuller flavour. Usually, iced drinks contain tonnes of added sugars, so cold brews are a great option for those of us trying to cut down. Cold brews also contain less caffeine and are much higher in anti-oxidants and vitamin C.

Cold brews need to steep for quite a while – we usually leave ours overnight – and as a result, new flavours develop, giving the teas extra depth. It is easy to combine different blends, and you can get creative and add other ingredients to the mix too. We have found that citrus fruits, berries and mint all make great additions.

Don’t forget to share with us your home-made iced tea by tagging @camellias_teahouse on social media!

Berry01

Very Berry Iced Tea
Having all your favorite berries in one cup!
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 2 teaspoons of Very Berry Fruit Infusion per cup.
2. Brew with boiling water in 5 minutes.
3. Remove the infuser and fruit from the tea. Let the tea cool down in room temperature.
4. Stir in sugar/ honey.
5. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with fresh berries.

macho-mango-shake-blog

Matcha Mango Smoothie
Energy Boost!
Blending Instruction:
Add all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
1. Use 1 teaspoon of Premium Matcha Powder per cup
2. 1/2 cup of milk
3. Half of the mango
4. Pinch of sea salt
5. Garnish with a slice of mango

Summer-Pineapple-Punch-8

Sparkling Summer Punch
Festive Drink!
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 1 teaspoon of Peach Green Tea and 1 teaspoon of White Orange Tea per 6 ounces of water.
2. Steep green tea for 6 to 8 hours in the fridge.
3. Add lemon-lime soda or any sparkling fruit juice to each cup as preference.
4. Fill with ice and frozen fruits.

IcedGreenTeaMojito
Green Tea Mojito
Brewing Instruction:
1. Muddle the lime juice, mint, and sugar syrup together in a tall glass until the leaves bruise lightly and the flavors release.
2. Add ice until glass is about 3/4 full and then pour in rum and green tea.
3. Pour in cold-brew China Gunpowder Green Tea
4. Stir well and garnish with mint and lime.

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Lemongrass-Lime & Mint Cooler
Summer Detox
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 1 teaspoon of Zest Tea and 1 teaspoon of Peppermint Herbal Infusion per cup.
2. Brew with boiling water in 5 minutes.
3. Remove the infuser and herb from the tea. Let the tea cool down in room temperature.
4. Add in lime/lemon juice.
5. Pour into ice-filled glasses and garnish with fresh mint leaves, lemongrass, and lemon slices.

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Apricot Cold-brew Tea
A Tropical Taste
Brewing Instruction:
1. Use 1 teaspoon of White Tea Apricot per 6 ounces of water.
2. Steep white tea for 6 to 8 hours in the fridge.
3. Serve the tea as is or with add-ins of your choice: fresh apricot/ peach.
4. The cold-brew tea will keep well, covered and refrigerated, for 3 to 5 days.

Tea of the Month – August

Beautiful Skin
Red clover is such a common sight in our fields during the summer, but did you know it has amazing health benefits? When researching for this piece I was shocked to find that this simple flower can have so many positive effects on our health, particularly when brewed as a tea. Often used fresh in salads, we chose to use dried flowers in our Beautiful Skin tisane, and combined the clover with other summer blooms, dandelion, elderflower and chamomile, knowing this would be the best blend for promoting healthy, clear skin.
Like all of our other bespoke wellness teas, Beautiful Skin benefits the whole body, particularly the respiratory system, but as red clover is said to contain compounds that mimic estrogen, it is particularly good for the skin. It promotes elasticity, reducing the appearance of aging, keeping the skin youthful and supple. Combined with  chamomile, a famous anti-inflammatory, dandelion flowers, rich in minerals required for healthy skin function, and nettle, a powerful astringent, this tea is an antioxidant powerhouse, tailored to promote healthy, clear, beautiful skin.
It brews to a light gold, almost clear, and has a delicate, slightly floral flavour. It would be perfect just before bed.
Extravagant Earl Grey
Earl Grey, one of the most widely drunk teas in the world, is given a decadent lift in our bespoke Extravagant Earl Grey. We combine our bergamot infused Chinese black tea with rose flowers, lavender and cornflowers to produce a deliciously floral, aromatic, tea that has a wonderful hint of sweetness.
There are many stories about the origin of the Earl Grey blend, which has been known in England since at least the 1830s. It is assumed to be named after Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, the British Prime Minister in the 1830s. The most exciting of these stories proclaims that the blend was presented to the Earl by a grateful Chinese diplomat whose son was rescued from drowning by one of Lord Grey’s men!
This perfumed black tea is very versatile, and as we love experimenting, we chose to add our Extravagant Earl Grey to a cake mix to create a decadent Earl Grey and Lavender sponge layer cake. It’s proving to be extremely popular! Similarly, we have found that this blend of Earl Grey works really well as a latte, both hot and iced. With the pink rose petals and blue cornflowers, this is a beautiful blend to use as a cold brew.

Tea of the month – July

MANGO BLACK TEA

With mango season in full swing, it only makes sense to pay tribute to our Indian roots and choose our black mango tea as one of our teas of the month. The bright yellow pulp, protected by a thick waxy skin, dark green with a rosy blush, is synonymous with summer desserts. Our black tea, which is scattered with sunflower blossoms, will bring this sunshine into your tea break, along with a little caffeine boost.

Whilst lovely as a hot brew, we’re really enjoying this tea blend as a cold brew drink at the moment. Given the recent heat wave, it made sense to us to develop a range of cold drinks, and this has proven to be one of the most popular choices with customers in the shop! Cold brewing means it tastes naturally smooth and sweet, so there is no need to add sugar, like you usually would with an iced tea. Without getting too scientific, this is because cold water extracts a different chemical balance from the tea than hot water, resulting in less of that black tea bitterness.

Cold brewing is something you can easily try at home. All you need is a large bottle, a few scoops of tea, and a space in the fridge! We usually brew ours overnight, but it needs a minimum of 4-6 hours. The sunflower petals and mango cubes make this a really pretty blend to have brewing.

HAPPINESS INFUSION

Our happiness infusion has this name for a reason! A cheerful blend of lemon verbena, rose buds, fennel and rosehips, this is an uplifting infusion which helps to clear the senses and revitalise the spirit. Winner of a Great Taste Award, this blend harks back to the age of foraging and preserving plants and herbs for medicinal purposes.

Lemon verbena has a number of health benefits, primarily decreasing inflammation, thereby protecting muscles and boosting the immune system. It can also clear up congestion and reduce fevers. When paired with rosehip, a seed famous for its high vitamin C content, it is great for preventing and treating colds and flus. The delicate rose buds add a gentle floral flavour, as well as some colour.

As this is a wellness infusion it won’t over brew like a regular tea would. We usually recommend leaving for around 5 minutes before enjoying. If you leave the tea for longer however, you will notice that the brew, initially a light green, will darken to a russet red as the rose hips come into play and it will taste more tangy. This is a truly versatile tea as it can adapt to different taste preferences, without getting bitter.

Tea of the month – June

Happy Midsummer!  Here at the tea house, we have chosen two teas that remind us most of summer to help us welcome it in.

Nothing can be more idyllic than a bloom-filled English summer garden. Drooping foxgloves, overblown roses, drifts of wild flowers, the English meadow is filled with romance and nostalgia. A flash of colour caught between the greens of spring and the yellows of harvest, the smells and sounds of a countryside walk can leave you feeling contented and fulfilled. With flowers and foliage at their most bountiful, they are perfect for harvesting and preserving, meaning we can use them in our tea blends, allowing you to make the most of their benefits later on.

Aptly named, our Summer Garden wellness infusion is a delicious blend of chamomile and lavender flowers. It is, quite literally, a summer garden in a tin! Known for their relaxing properties, and thought to reduce anxiety emotional stress, these two herbs brew to a clean yellow, with sweet undertones. We have also added a little ginger to lift the oils of the lavender and the cleanse the palette.

To balance this flowered, herbal infusion, we have chosen a blend more reminiscent of Southern Europe. Our Peach Green tea, with a Sencha base, truly captures the flavour of summer with its sweet and aromatic taste. With their soft, furry skins and delicious, juicy flesh, peaches are a summer dessert favourite. Lightly brewed, this tea is perfect for any time of the day. We like to add a little fresh lemon juice to ours and pour it over ice to make a refreshing peach tea lemonade!

Both of these blends are available in our tea house and online. We have a wide range of products, including our artisan loose leaf tea bags, tea boxes, and tea caddy’s. Our Summer Garden is now also available in a limited edition dark green caddy!

Summer Sun Iced Teas

Are you prepared for the summer?

Despite the recent wet weather that the UK is so famous for, it seems that things are about to change. It’s reported that Britain is in for the hottest summer and only weeks away from a flaming 100F/37C with tropical heatwaves driven by the “Spanish Pluming”. Before the panic sets in and people rush to buy electrical fans and other cooling mechanisms, we suggest that you stock up on plenty of tea leaves and ice and be prepared to be taken on an iced tea journey around the world. We believe there can be no better way to keep cool then drinking healthy and tasty iced teas.

Historically iced tea has not been widely consumed in the UK as the rest of Europe and the USA. In the UK it started to become more popular in recent years especially for those seeking healthier choices to carbonated cold beverages.

Tea drinking traditions was brought to the US in colonial times by British settlers. Afternoon tea became a weekly practice but rather than drinking hot tea Southerners preferred it cool to keep themselves refreshed in the hot piping heat. In the US iced tea makes up about 85% of all tea consumed and mainly consumed in Southern America. Apparently iced tea recipes go back to the 1870s when it was on sale mainly in hotels and railroad stations.

Iced tea is versatile and can be drunk sweetened or unsweetened, carbonated or non carbonated, blended with fruit and combined with alcohol to produce delicious cocktails. The ideas are endless and consumed worldwide according to the cultural traditions. For example in Brazil Mate is the most popular beverage and is drunk iced and sweetened with occasional flavouring. In Hong Kong strong black tea is brewed and served with simple syrup and lemon. India prefers iced tea with lemon and ginger whilst in Japan, green and oolong iced teas are more common. This usually comes unflavoured and unsweetened.

Health benefits of iced teas

The health benefit really depends on whether you prefer to have it sweetened or unsweetened. Having it slightly sweetened with honey or agave might be the best option if you have a sweet tooth. Iced teas offer a crisp, slightly astringent flavour which helps you to keep cool whilst replenishing your body’s fluid levels. Unsweetened iced tea contains a good source of manganese, helps increase your fluoride intake and provides beneficial flavonoids (which are antioxidants).   The body incorporates fluoride into the bones and teeth, and consuming fluoride fights tooth decay.   Antioxidants help against free radicals that can contribute to cancer, heart disease and clogged arteries.

To get you ready for the summer we have shared some our favourite simple iced tea recipes with you. Despite the predicted scorching sunny summer, we hope you keep cool and refreshed by trying out our recipes below.

 White Apricot Iced Tea

Ingredients:

5 teaspoons of  White Apricot loose leaf tea

5 mugs of 80 degrees hot water (before the boil)

Ice

Simple syrup or honey (optional)

Method:

Place the loose leaf tea in filter bags or a large stainless steel infuser. Place the infuser in a large heatproof glass pitcher. Pour hot water into the pitcher and let it steep for at least 8 minutes. Remove the infuser or filter bag (if using a filter bag then give it a good squeeze till the bag is drained of tea).

Refrigerate the tea until cool. To serve, fill iced tea glasses with ice and pour the tea over the ice. Sweeten with simple syrup or honey if desired.

Any teas can be used for this simple and basic recipe. Teas loved best from our collection are Lung Ching green tea, Chamomile tea, Cherry Blossom tea, Extravagant Earl Grey, Green Mint tea, Lemon Verbena tea, Mango tea, Rose Bud tea, Turkish Apple tea, Very Berry tea and Zest tea.

For a slight twist to the tea, fill ¾ glass with the ice tea and top up with lemonade.

Camellia’s Arabian Nights

Ingredients:

5 teaspoons of  loose leaf Rose Tea

Mixed berries (optional)

5 mugs of hot boiling water

Ice

For the syrup:

7 teaspoons of Very Berry Tea

1 cup water

1 cup white sugar

Method:

Place the Rose tea in a filter bag or a large stainless steel infuser. Place the infuser in a large heatproof glass pitcher. Pour hot water into the pitcher and let it steep for at least 8 minutes. Remove the infuser or filter bag (if using a filter bag then give it a good squeeze till the bag is drained of tea). Refrigerate the tea until cool.

To make the syrup, place Very Berry tea in a paper filter tea bag and put in a small cooking pan. Add the water and sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer till the sugar has dissolved. Lower the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes. Leave to cool. Once cooled discard the tea bag.

Fill half a glass with ice. Throw in a few mixed berries if desired. Pour in the rose tea and top with the syrup to taste.

Summer Iced Tea – Green Mint & Ginger

Here, at Camellia’s Tea House, we have created a series of delicious summer iced drinks, using our hand-blended teas, which we will be sharing with you over the course of the next few weeks. You will also be able to find all of the recipes later on our Tea Journal pages, including last week’s Very Berry Iced Tea.

This week we are featuring a superbly refreshing and cooling drink, cold brewed with a bit of a twist:

Green Mint & Ginger Iced Tea 

  1. Put about 5-6 generously heaped teaspoons of our Green Mint tea directly into a large jar or bottle and pour in about a litre of fresh cool water.
  2. Grab a knob of ginger, peel it and chop finely. Add to the brewing tea.
  3. Let the tea brew for at least 4 hours at room temperature or overnight in a fridge, until you have a nice and strong brew.
  4. Strain the tea leaves and ginger and fill a tall glass about 3/4 full. Add a couple small mint leaves, a bit of freshly grated ginger and transfer it all into a blender.
  5. If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, feel free to add a little sugar, and blend everything for 10 seconds.
  6. Pour the drink back into the tall glass, add one or two ice cubes, and if you’re feeling fancy, garnish with mint leaves.
  7. Grab a straw, kick back and enjoy!.

Additional tips:

  • To prevent the iced tea from getting too diluted, instead of using regular ice, make some Green Mint ice cubes beforehand. Just brew a strong mug of the minty tea, pour it into an ice cube tray and pop it into your freezer.
  • If you’re in a hurry, you can brew the tea the more traditional way. Use 80°C hot water instead and brew for about 8-10 minutes. Just make sure to strain the tea leaves before you pop it into the fridge to prevent over-brewing!
  • For those especially hot days, blend the tea with some ice for a truly cold and refreshing drink.

Summer Iced Teas – Very Berry

We have some great news for you – summer has officially began!

With the 20th of June marking the summer solstice and the longest day of the year, we can finally say goodbye to spring and welcome all of the wonderful things that this season has in store – plenty of sunshine, sunbathing, flipflops, holidays, picnics, ice creams, barbecues, lazying on the beach and of course, refreshing cold drinks when the temperatures start to spike.

Here, at Camellia’s Tea House, we have created a series of delicious summer iced drinks, using our hand-blended teas, which we will be sharing with you over the course of the next few weeks.

This week we are featuring a fruity flavour burst and everyone’s favourtie:

Very Berry Iced Tea

  1. Put about 7-8 heaped teaspoons of our Very Berry directly into a large jar or bottle and pour in about a litre of freshly boiled hot water. Do not use any filters or strainers and just let those yummy fruit pieces float about freely.
  2. Let the tea brew for at least 10-15 minutes before you start cooling it.
  3. Cool the tea, preferably in a fridge.
  4. Once the tea has cooled, strain it and fill a tall glass about 1/3rd full. Add a few slices of fresh strawberries and transfer it all to a blender.
  5. If you have a bit of a sweet tooth, feel free to add a little sugar, and blend everything for 10 seconds.
  6. Pour the drink back into a tall glass, add ice, grab a straw and enjoy!

Additional tips:

  • To prevent the iced tea from getting too diluted, instead of using regular ice, make some very berry ice cubes beforehand. Just brew a strong mug of the fruity tea, pour it into an ice cube tray and pop it into your freezer.
  • Experiment by adding other fruits or even a splash of pure fruit juice to create different fruity variations.
  • For those especially hot days, blend the tea with the ice for a truly cold and refreshing drink.

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