Herb-infused Simple Syrup Kicks up Iced Tea

Iced Tea disappears by the pitcherful in the dog days of summer. Here are some ideas for perking up your pick-me-up.

Growing up I never had tea that was sweetened or flavored. Mint tea, long known for its calming effects on upset tummies always had the opposite effect on mine. I'm now a fan of sweet-tea and addicted to mint in my iced tea. Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks?

Growing herbs in my urban garden allows me to experiment with new flavors in foods and drinks. Here are some of my favorite new Ice Tea combos:

• raspberry tea with mint
• regular tea (such as English Breakfast)with lemon simple syrup
• regular tea with lemon basil simple syrup

And here's tip from Cait at For Eyes: lavender in your tea. Lovely!

And don't forget the cocktails that benefit from herbs:

• mojitos
• caipirinhas
• bloody marys (Cait uses basil, I use dill)

Here's how simple, simple syrup is:

Dissolve sugar and water (2:1)in a small pot over medium high heat. Cool. Pour into a little pitcher for serving. I use an beautiful frosted bottle that held some yuzu vinegar, topped with a bar spout.

You can add fruit or herbs with the sugar. Strain.