How To: Make home-brewed rooibos & hibiscus herbal iced tea

Rooibos tea alone is a treat, with its naturally sweet and slightly nutty taste. But think about adding hibiscus tea to the mix. How about a little bit of tea flowers? Now, think about turning that wonderful red combination into iced tea. Perfect for hot summer days!

Rooibos, hibiscus, tea flowers. If you've only associated these melodic tea names with something you might be served at a spa, think again. It's easy to make your own chilled herbal beverage at home. A tea scale is helpful, but you really can add the amounts and types of tea you prefer. Frank Sanchez of Upton Tea Imports shows you how.

INGREDIENTS:

Makes 10 six-ounce cups of tea

* 6 cup portion rooibos
* 3½ cup portion hibiscus
* ½ cup portion tea flowers
* 10 cups boiling water
* enough ice to fill heat-proof pitcher or container

Garnish (optional)

* 6-10 blueberries
* tea flowers

HOW-TO:

1. Using a tea scale, with a 1 cup weight = 6-oz cup of tea as your guide, measure teas and add loose tea or tea sachets to a heat-proof pot
2. Add boiling water and steep tea for 8 minutes
3. Fill a heat-proof pitcher or container with ice, remove tea bags or leaves and strain hot tea over ice
4. Pour over ice into individual glasses and garnish with fresh fruit or tea flowers