Happy Mouth Ice Tea

You may have noticed there is no "d" in "ice tea." That's the way we roll in Texas.

I've been making the raspberry tea for my wife for years but adding the lemon and mint take it to a whole 'nother level.

A Good Raspberry Tea

Steep the tea in 4 cups of boiling water for 3 to 5 minutes. It gets pretty dark when it's ready.

• 3 regular tea bags (decaf or caffeinated)
• 1 raspberry tea bag ( I use Bigelow Raspberry Royale and there might be a decaf variety.)

Remove the tea bags and add

• 1/2 cup raspberry syrup (I get it at the middle east grocery)
• 1/4 cup sugar

Stir and move to a pitcher with

• 4 more cups of water (unless you are going add the ice while it is still warm)

Chill--maybe overnight. If you don't chill, you should have put less water in with the brewed tea and you will need more ice when serving.

Add to a tall glass in this order

• Ice
• 4 fresh mint leaves, bruised
• 1/2 tsp (or so) lemon juice (juice of 1/4 lemon)
• chilled tea from above

Stir well and enjoy. Makes 8 glasses. Serves 4 people