Solar tea is believed to have originated in the US, doubtless within the Southern states or Midwest, the place sizzling summers made brewing tea within the solar a straightforward, energy-saving technique. The precise origin isn’t pinpointed, nevertheless it turned particularly standard in mid-Twentieth century America, significantly through the Nineteen Forties and Nineteen Fifties, when individuals began utilizing glass jars stuffed with water and tea luggage left exterior to steep within the daylight.
The thought behind solar tea is easy: as a substitute of boiling water, the solar’s warmth slowly brews the tea over a number of hours, producing a easy and mellow taste. It turned a form of nostalgic, homey custom—particularly for iced tea lovers in heat climates.
I’ve at all times been a tea lover and begin each morning with a cup. I had an previous glass jar at house and thought it’d be excellent for making a giant batch. Since I’m a fan of something fruity, I went with a strawberry mint mix. It turned out scrumptious—I tossed in a number of lemon slices and a few blueberries for an additional burst of taste. So refreshing! Try the solar tea recipe inside.
🌞 Find out how to Make Solar Tea
You’ll want:
A big glass jar (1 to 2 quarts)
4–6 tea luggage (black tea is traditional, however you need to use inexperienced, natural, or flavored)
Chilly filtered water
Elective: contemporary fruit, herbs (like mint), lemon slices, honey, and so forth.
Steps:
Fill the jar:Pour chilly water into your clear glass jar, leaving a bit room on the prime.
Add the tea luggage:Tie the strings collectively and drape them over the aspect, or simply drop them in. Use extra luggage if you happen to like stronger tea.
Let it steep within the solar:Seal the jar with a lid (or cowl it with plastic wrap), then place it in a sunny spot open air for two to 4 hours. The daylight gently brews the tea.
Add extras (non-obligatory):As soon as brewed, take away the tea luggage and add in any extras you want—sliced lemons, berries, contemporary mint, or a splash of honey.
Chill and serve:Refrigerate the tea or pour it over ice. Take pleasure in your contemporary, do-it-yourself solar tea!