Gayle's Mint Tea

You can tell it is summer at our house because we always have a pitcher of Mint tea made. I really shouldn't call it Gayle's Mint Tea because I learned to make it from a good friend of mine who has passed away from Cancer. When I was a very young little girl, Mrs. Mast next door who was an older widow would invite my sister and I over for tea. She would pick the mint from her back yard on North East Street in Bremen and brew us a cup of tea in a beautiful little china tea cup. That was my first experience with tea. I remember it making me feel very lady like and proper. Then many years later the memories all came back when my friend Sherry had mint tea brewing for me. Now I want to share the recipe with you so you can pass it on to some little neighbor girl or a good friend.

I'm not sure how it got started, but we have a mint patch out back. It's grown quite large but we don't mind at all. It isn't bothering any other plants and it's handy right out our back door. '

So here is how I make Gayle's Mint Tea. I cut a large handful of the mint. Usually just the top tender leaves.

Then I wash it off real good. We don't have

any chemicals or sprays on it but don't want to serve

up any little bugs with it. I shake it off real good too

for those kind that hang on tight through the washing.

This is the crucial part of the brewing. I put it in a pot of very good water (reverse osmosis or filtered) and fill it up almost to the top. Then I brew it just until it is starting to boil. Don't let it boil! And don't go sit at your computer or go outside while it is on the stove or it will boil and burn (I've done that). When it is almost ready to boil, turn off the burner and put a lid on it. Let it brew for about 12-15 minutes. I throw in about 4 tea bags to give it a tea color. I use decaf tea bag and get the cheapest ones I can find.

This is the part I always feel guilty about but it's summer right? I add the sugar. Never, never add artificial sweeteners to Gayle's Mint Tea! If you do, you can't call it what it is. It won't be real and it could never taste the same. I add 1/4 cup of sugar to a two quart pitcher. That isn't that much. Too much will ruin it and too little, well, that won't hurt either. Mix in the sugar while it is hot, drain off the mint leaves into a pitcher and there you have it. Pour it over a tall glass FULL of ice and I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. Stop in anytime and have a glass with me. If you catch me at the right time, you can have a cup of it hot too.