HAPPY SPRING!!!!!!!! OMG! I really did miss the changing of the seasons while I was away on my tropical island sojourn! (Technically 'sub-tropical island' but who's keeping track?)
I always feel like a little kid when spring is poking it's head out of the melting snow and ice! I seriously do! When it's a gorgeous day and I'm done work I always get that "I need to rush home because I want to ride my bicycle" feeling that we all had when we were kids! I, however, do not have a bicycle, and riding around the block in circles has totally lost it's appeal - so for me, that feeling is always bittersweet- and translates somewhat into "YAHOO! PATIO SEASON IS ALMOST HERE!" Which is equally exciting, but far more expensive (both health wise and wallet wise)...but I digress!
Of course the first thing that I love about spring food wise is that I get to enjoy lighter fare and cooler bevvies...like Iced Tea (or "Sweet Tea" for my favorite Southerners)...store bought mixes are chockful of stuff that isn't exactly 'tea' or 'ice'- and they have way way way too much sugar - same for the pre-mixed ready-made variety...and ice tea is seriously easy to make- it takes exactly as long to make iced tea as it takes to make a cup of hot tea - I PROMISE! (except for the icing part, which takes a little bit of extra time)
Here's what I do - in the morning, when I am boiling water for my cup of hot tea, I make extra for my iced tea. When I get out my favorite mug for my hot tea, I get out my favorite pitcher for iced tea (mine is a 1 litre glass pitcher from Ikea, that cost about 2 bucks) I put 1 black tea bag in my mug and 4 roobios tea bags in my pitcher, and since the water is still boiling at this point, I get out my Blue Agave syrup, and my (fresh squeezed) lemon juice that I always have in the fridge - when the water has boiled I pour some into my mug, and some into my pitcher...I let it brew it's yummy goodness for about 3 minutes (longer, if you like a stronger tea) then I squeeze out the tea bag in my mug (a tradition I learned from my British pals - one of whom cannot even drink a mug of tea if the tea bag has not been squeezed out - I fear they would DIE if they came to Canada and I got them a tea at Timmies with the 'bag in') and I pour some milk into my mug...and unlike most staunch tea drinkers I know, I have to let my tea cool a bit before imbibing - so I then proceed to squeeze out the tea bags in the pitcher. I add a splash of lemon juice and a good squirt of Agave (you can taste a little bit now to make sure you've put enough lemon and sweetness in - but remember that you need more for 'colder' things than you do for hot things, so made it a little too lemony and a little too sweet- but just a little!) and mix it with a wooden spoon- I don't know why, but you HAVE TO mix all pitcher related drinks with a wooden spoon or they don't come out right. Then plop that in the fridge for enjoyment a bit later and go and sip your hot tea and relax. When it comes time to serve it, pour into a glass with some big fat ice cubes. You can garnish it with a sprig of mint if you have some lying around and you want to get all Martha-Stewart-like...I rarely have mint just lying around, so I don't garnish (and let's face it, who sips on iced tea anyways? I guzzle the first half, which would render said garnish insignificant!). Et Voila! Fresh brewed iced tea for your enjoyment!
Canadians have a saying that we really only have 2 seasons - winter & construction - which is sadly true for the most part - BUT I am happy to report that my construction season is going to be a happy one! They are putting in a Whole Foods Market 1 block away from my office! I AM ECSTATIC! Now, whenever I want my Amy's Mushroom and Olive pizza, I can have it and not have to make an extra special trip down to Yorkville where I inevitably feel the need to stock up on 'the basics' like the Armageddon is approaching and I may never be near a Whole Foods Market again (luckily I only have to take 1 bus to and fro! But it's such a treck for groceries!) YIPPPEEEE!
