Pitcher Punch
- Yield 10 servings
Instead of sugary sodas, try this tea-based punch. Use an artificial sweetener or honey if you prefer.
"At the end of a hot day, there's nothing better than Aunt Alice's Pitcher Punch to cool you down. I guarantee when you are hot and thirsty, there is nothing quite like it."
Ingredients
- 4 cups water, divided
- 3 tea bags
- 4 lemons
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 dash salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Boil 2 cups water and pour over tea bags in a glass container. Steep 20 minutes. Squeeze juice from lemons, reserving juice and rinds.
- In a large pot, bring remaining 2 cups water to a boil. Add lemon rinds to boiling water. Add sugar. Simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and remove lemon rinds. Let cool.
- Squeeze and remove tea bags. Combine lemon-sugar syrup and tea. Strain reserved lemon juice and add to tea mixture along with vanilla, almond extract and salt. Mix well and refrigerate.
- To serve, pour 1/3 to 1/2 cup mixture over ice and top with about 1/2 cup of water. Yields 5 1/3 cups tea mixture.
—Recipe by J.B. Robert, Murphy, N.C.
