Recipe Note

A few notes about brewing this tea…

There are different ways to prepare your iced tea depending on the time you have and the amount you’d like to serve.

When time is not a priority, I like to create the perfect glass of iced tea in the traditional manner that really doesn’t take too much time to brew but definitely more to chill. Please note that hot tea needs to fully come to room temperature before moving to the refrigerator to chill (see notes below). I recommend doing this a day in advance to give the tea enough time to chill properly.

First, measure out the amount of tea you will need for the size of your pitcher or glass. 1 rounded teaspoon is recommended for an 8 ounce glass and 8-10 tablespoons for a gallon pitcher. You can always tweak to your liking for a stronger or weaker result.

It is best to steep in a heat-resistant container or glass, pouring the appropriate temperature water over the leaves. The best temperature for this particular Choicest oolong is 180-195 degrees F. Set your timer for 4 minutes, which will give the best results when brewing this toasty tea.

When your timer dings, pour the infusion through a fine strainer into a different container and set it on the counter to come to room temperature before placing it in the fridge or over ice. Once again, it is best not to place the hot tea in the refrigerator as this will create a cloudy result.

ALTERNATIVELY…

If you are under a time crunch, you can create a quick concentrate using the same amount of tea but only steeping it using a quarter of the full amount of water. (You would still set the timer for the same length of time.) Fill the glass or pitcher with ice, pour the steeped tea through a fine strainer into the serving vessel and fill it the rest of the way with cold spring or filtered water.

Making the Simple Syrup

Simple syrup is a mixture of equal parts sugar and water, dissolved for use in cold drinks. For this recipe, I have added fresh ripe strawberries, which makes for a concentrated berry flavor – and is a GORGEOUS color!

The syrup will yield enough to make 8 servings of Strawberry Milk tea, but can also be used over ice cream, yogurt, or any number of desserts.

There is no need to fully boil the syrup…a gentle simmer will do. I like to use superfine sugar as it dissolves quickly. A good test to see if your sugar is dissolved is to run a spoon through the syrup and look at the back of it. If you can’t see sugar granules, you may now remove it from the heat.

Leave your saucepan to cool. Please note that sugar, once dissolved, is HOT!!!! Please do not touch it until cooled to avoid injury.

Once cooled, you can strain your syrup into a Ball jar. For a clear syrup, do not press the strawberries through the strainer. You can use the strawberries on pancakes, or over yogurt, etc.

Whipped cream is always a welcome addition…Yummm! Let us know how you like it.

Now let’s make Strawberry Milk Tea!