Cape Heat, meet Le Fruity Iced Tea

Iced Tea for Hot Days

Sip, savour, survive (the heat)

We’re having a heat wave in Cape Town at the moment. Temperatures in excess of 40 degrees (that’s Celsius, just by the by), in some areas. People stand panting in corners seeking shade, factor 30 sales go through the roof (though once in an air-conditioned shop, the temptation to linger longer is very great), rubber melts off tyres, the queues outside public swimming baths (I drove past one in Sea Point today) snake around the block for miles. Perhaps not miles, but you get the picture. Our beloved Cape Doctor is missing in action, and there isn’t even a breath of a breeze for all the mini skirts out there! Everything is slower, lacking in smiles and sweatier. A lot sweatier.

For you in cooler climes, this is your cue to feel very sorry for us. For you battling it out in this heat, with me: I give you an icy cold refreshing Iced Tea.

Your best defence against melt-downs

 You can vary the flavours, add a tot of Pimms (or even Vodka) to make a more adult, after work version (unless you’re on holiday, in which case I guess, everything goes). Especially nice, if you place (in a plastic jug or bottle) in the freezer for a few hours. It will melt rapidly, and what you will have is a sort of slush puppy frozen Iced Tea. Feeling cooler already, aren’t you?

This is how I made mine:

*Note: make this the night before, by far the easiest way*

Ingredients

Serves 4-6

4 herbal tea bags or 3 T loose leaf tea (I used Green Baked Apple tea from Tea Emporium)

500ml freshly boiled water

750 ml apple juice

250 ml water

Honey to sweeten (optional)

slices of green apple

mint leaves

Method

Soak the tea in the hot water, and leave to cool.

Add to juice and water in a jug and chill in the fridge.

Pour into tall glasses and add honey, slices of apple, mint, and ice cubes.

This tea, is so simple to make- and the variations are endless. Try:

-rooibos tea, vanilla paste or scrapings from a pod, apple juice & water

-rooibos or green tea, slices of ginger, mint, apple juice & water

-white or green tea, 100ml blended berries, berry juice & water

-white tea, 100ml blended strawberries, apple juice & water

-a tot of Pimms to each glass and ribbons of cucumber

Apple Iced Tea