Lebanese Tea

A light and refreshing version of iced tea that is served at all the local Greek and Lebanese restaurants. I was quite surprised to discover that this recipe actually originated in the New Orleans / Baton Rouge area. The pine nuts don't add anything to the flavor of the drink, so I usually leave them off. I buy my rose water from a local middle eastern grocery store - you can also find it at world market and whole foods, or online. You can adjust the amounts of sugar, rose water, and lemon juice to suit your tastes.

• Ready In: 10 mins
• Serves: 12
• Yields: 1 gallon

Ingredients

• 1  gallon water, divided
• 2  family sized tea bags
• 1⁄3 cup lemon juice
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2  teaspoons rose water
• 1  tablespoon pine nuts (optional)

Directions

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil. Place tea bags in a gallon sized pitcher, and pour the boiling water over. Steep for 5-7 minutes.
2. Remove tea bags, and stir in the sugar, lemon juice, and rose water. Stir until sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
3. Top with water until you have 1 gallon of tea. Chill, and serve over ice, with a few pine nuts sprinkled in each glass if desired. I usually leave off the nuts since they don't add to the flavor.