Through the Kitchen Window

• 4 regular tea bags (choose your favourite flavour or a combination)*
• 2 cups fresh cold water
• Water
• Ice cubes
• Granulated sugar or other sweetener
• Lemon slices (optional)

Please make sure, if your tea bags are wrapped in paper, to remove all traces of paper, including any attached to the strings of the tea bags, then tie the strings together and place them in a 2 quart container that’s non-metallic and heat proof.

Bring 2 cups cold water (you should always start tea with fresh cold water) to a boil. Once you’ve achieved a lively boil, pour the water immediately over the tea bags.

Allow tea to steep for 30 minutes or more. This will be your base and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours. Remove tea bags, allow them to drip but do not squeeze out excess liquid and discard.

When you’re ready to serve, simply finish filling the pitcher with enough water to equal 2-quarts. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled before serving. If you wish to serve the iced tea right away, then add a dozen or so ice cubes to tea concentrate first, then fill with water to the 2-quart level.

To serve, pour tea over a generous amount of ice cubes in a tall glass, stirring in desired sweetening and a squeeze of lemon.

Variation: You can vary the flavours by substituting one tea bag for a bag of your favourite flavoured tea.

• Yields: 8 servings

Simply fill a 2 quart container with cold water, add 4 - 5 teaspoons full of loose tea. Stir and cover loosely. Next step is to place it in full sun light for 3 - 4 hours according to how strong you like your tea. Strain into a clean container and chill. Add sugar and lemon to taste and serve over ice in tall glasses.

• 1 gallon water
• 8 Chinese star anise, ground
• 1 tablespoon orange flowers
• 1 tablespoon powdered vanilla
• 1 pinch of clove powder
• 1 pinch chopped cinnamon
• 3/4 quart long cut China black tea leaves
• 1 to 2 cups sugar
• 1 quart half & half
• Red food coloring
• Crushed ice

Boil water. Add star anise, orange flowers, vanilla, clove, cinnamon, and tea leaves to boiling water. Continue boiling for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Cover and allow to steep until luke warm. Strain, and add sugar to taste. Serve in a clear glass over plenty of crushed ice. Top with half & half.

Traditional Variation: Substitute coconut milk for half & half. Decaffeinated Variation: Substitute decaffeinated tea leaves. Low-fat Variation: Substitute evaporated milk or rice milk for half & half. Natural Variation: Substitute unrefined cane sugar for refined sugar and beet powder for food coloring.

• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/3 cup Thai tea
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup condensed milk
• 1/2 cup half & half

Heat the water to boiling, then using four layers of cheesecloth as a filter, pour the water through the tea four times or until the tea until reaches the right color. Set the tea aside to cool. Mix together the remaining ingredients. Fill glasses with crushed ice; pour milk/sugar mixture about 1/2 full into each glass; carefully pour cooled tea over top to preserve separation.

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 tablespoons Thai tea
• 1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

Place 2 tablespoons of tea powder in a muslin bag, and arrange over the neck of a jug. Pour in 12 ounces of boiling water, and allow to steep. Transfer the bag to a second jug and pour the water into the bag again. Repeat this process several times then vigorously squeeze the bag to remove as much liquor as possible. Add a quarter of a cup of sweetened condensed milk, stir to incorporate, and allow to cool.

This process gives me Thai Tea that tastes exactly like it does in my favorite Thai restaurant. I put a cup of the loose tea leaves into a big pot of water (the kind of pot one boils pasta in, a big stove pot). I bring the tea and water to a rolling boil, stirring constantly and monitoring the heat so that it doesn’t overflow. After it has boiled for a minute or two, I reduce the heat and allow the tea to simmer for 15 or 20 minutes. Then I cover the pot and allow the tea to cool on the stove top. At first the tea leaves all stay at the top of the water, but as the water cools they all drop to the bottom of the pot. I then carefully pour the tea into a pitcher, using a metal strainer to catch any leaves that happen to get stirred up during the process. (However, virtually all of the leaves stay settled.) I add sugar until the bitterness of the tea goes away, usually between one and two cups. If the tea seems too strong, I also add water to dilute it a bit. I pour the tea over ice, filling the glass 2/3 full, then top it off with half-and-half.

Let the wonderful fragrance of Thai iced tea fill your home, and enjoy a stronger-tasting tea. In medium pot boil 8 cups water and add 8-10 heaping tablespoons of Thai tea mix. Reduce heat and let simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Add water to balance and let simmer for additional 1 hour. Add water once again and bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Strain, cool and serve as per above method. This method yields a stronger tea and is the more common way of preparation in Thailand.