Carolina's Lazy Peach Iced Tea That'll Make You Forget Store-Bought
Okay, so this started because I had three sad peaches rolling around my fruit bowl that were about to become compost. Instead of wasting them, I threw them in a pot with some tea bags and sugar, and honestly? It turned into the most refreshing thing I've ever made. The smell while it's brewing is like walking through a peach orchard in summer - sweet, warm, and a little bit nostalgic. This isn't fancy - it's the kind of drink you make when you want something cold and fruity without leaving the house. Trust me, once you've had this, those powdered mixes will taste like sadness.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe peaches - the kind that leave juice on your chin when you bite them
- 4 black tea bags - I use whatever's cheapest, but not those awful fruity herbal ones
- 1 cup sugar - or less if your peaches are super sweet, but honestly, it needs some
- 6 cups water - divided, because we're doing this in two stages
- Ice - a lot of it, like fill-your-glass-to-the-brim kind of lot
- Lemon slices - optional, but they make it look like you tried when really you just threw things in a pot
Instructions
- Slice those peaches into wedges - don't even think about peeling them, the skin gives it that pretty color and extra flavor
- Throw the peach slices, sugar, and 2 cups of water into a pot and bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes until it smells like heaven
- Take it off the heat and add the tea bags - I usually just drape them over the pot like little tea bag bats
- Let it steep for exactly 7 minutes unless you forget about it, which I've done, and then it's just stronger tea
- Remove the tea bags (squeeze them gently if you're impatient like me) and let the peaches keep infusing for another 10 minutes
- Strain the whole thing into a pitcher, pressing on the peaches with a spoon to get every last drop of that golden nectar
- Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water and stick it in the fridge until it's so cold it makes the pitcher sweat
- Serve over enough ice to make your glass look like a mini iceberg, add a lemon slice if you're feeling fancy, and try not to drink the whole pitcher in one go
Notes
Don't you dare use those rock-hard supermarket peaches that taste like nothing - they need to be ripe enough to smell like peaches. I learned this the hard way when I made it with underripe fruit and it tasted like sad water. Also, if you're feeling fancy (or just have mint growing wild in your garden like I do), throw some in while it's steeping. And please, for the love of all things good, don't skip the ice - this needs to be cold enough to make your teeth hurt a little.