Fruit Blast Sage Iced Tea

Sue Lau's Note:

This tea has an intense fruity flavor with just a hint of herbally sage. Great with a piece of lemon added.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 8 mins
• Prep Time: 18 mins
• Cook Time: 50 mins

Ingredients:

Yield: 56 ounces

• 2 cups water
• 2 cups chopped rhubarb
• 1 cup pitted red tart cherries (may use thawed-frozen, fresh, or canned)
• ¼ cup packed fresh sage leaf (can use blossoms)
• 4 small tea bags (I like Luzianne)
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• ½ cup honey (more or less, to taste)
• lemon slice (optional)

Directions:

1. Place water, rhubarb and cherries in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Cover pan, reduce heat, and simer 30 minutes.
3. Strain mixture through a sieve, pressing fruit (fruit should be cooked to a pulp).
4. Discard pressed fruit pulp.
5. Return strained mixture to the saucepan and heat until it just starts to boil.
6. Add tea bags, fresh sage, and balsamic vinegar.
7. Allow to steep away from heat, covered, for 6-8 minutes.
8. Strain mixture, removing sage and tea bags.
9. When slightly cool, place 5 cups cold water ito a pitcher and add tea.
10. Stir in 1/2 cup honey (more or less, to taste), until honey dissolves.
11. Serve tea on ice, garnished with a lemon slice, if desired.

Reviews

[Cindy Lynn]

This was easy to put together and received well although we all felt the sage was a little over-powering. Next time we'll reduce the sage to approximately 2 tablespoons rather than a 1/4 cup. It was very refreshing. DH and I learned that apple cider vinegar added to tea (or even a glass of ice water) is very refreshing, but took a little getting use to (I think it's that lemon mentality) so we didn't have any problem making the transition from apple cider vinegar to balsamic vinegar in tea. We'll be serving this again the next time we have guests for a cookout. The rosy red color was very pleasing to the eyes too!

[Thymestudio]

I really enjoyed this recipe! Very refreshing on a hot summer day. I put off making it because I expected it to be rather messy to make, which it was, but it was well worth it. I am sure I will make this again and again!

[Shar-on]

What a beautiful color this beverage has. I used some of the juice from the sour cherries as the water to cook the rhubarb and cherries. I didn't care for the sage taste in the tea. My personal taste. I would prefer sugar instead of honey, since the honey really did not dissolve properly even when the tea was still hot.(I did not have a liquid honey). I would like to play with this recipe, it has potential.