Calling all iced tea lovers!

We’ve heard your cries for iced tea recipes…and we’re totally stoked!  Here’s a little how-to to get you started.  Look out for iced tea blend recipes posting soon!

White Tea

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with 80 degrees Celsius water (1/4 cold water, 3/4 boiling water).
2. Place 10 scoops of tea into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 5-10 minutes.
4. Remove infuser. Remember you can infuse the same tea leaves up to three times.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add rose buds or fruit.

Great iced white teas:  White Ginger; White Rose and rose buds

Green Tea

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with 80 degrees Celsius water (1/4 cold water, 3/4 boiling water).
2. Place 10 scoops of tea into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 1-2 minutes.
4. Remove infuser.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add fruit or mint.

Great iced green teas:  Geisha Getaway with shredded coconut and pineapple pieces; Marrakech with fresh mint

Oolong Tea

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with 80 degrees Celsius water (1/4 cold water, 3/4 boiling water).
2. Place 10 scoops of tea into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove infuser. Remember you can infuse the same tea leaves up to three times.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add mint or fruit.

Great iced oolong teas:  Oolong Berry with berries; Toasty Warm

Black Tea

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with boiling water.
2. Place 10 scoops of tea into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 1-2 minutes.
4. Remove infuser.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add milk, sugar/honey, mint leaves, or fruit.

Great iced black teas:  Keemun with mint and honey; Ginger Spice with orange slices and cinnamon sticks

Herbal Tisane

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with boiling water.
2. Place 10 scoops of tisane into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 3-5 minutes. You can brew longer for a more intense flavour.
4. Remove infuser.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add fruit.

Great iced herbal tisanes:  Lemongrass and Ginger with sliced lemons; Liquorice Legs

Fruit Tisane

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with boiling water.
2. Place 10 scoops of tisane into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 3-5 minutes. You can brew longer for a more intense flavour.
4. Remove infuser.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add fruit or mint.

Great iced fruit tisanes:  Strawberries and Cream with fresh strawberries; Citrus Punch with fresh orange slices

Rooibos

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two-thirds with boiling water.
2. Place 10 scoops of tisane into the infuser.
3. Infuse for 3-5 minutes.
4. Remove infuser.
5. Fill jug with ice.
6. Optional Garnish: Add fruit or mint

Great iced rooibos tisanes:  Red Fancy Fruit with apple slices; Red Choc Mint with mint

Instant Tisane

1. Fill T2 1.2L jug two thirds with boiling water.
2. Place 12 scoops of tisane into the jug. You can add more or less scoops to taste.
3. Stir until dissolved.
4. Fill jug with ice.
5. Optional Garnish: Add fruit or mint.

Great iced instant tisanes:  Turkish Apple with apple slices, Turkish Cherry with berries

Wa – Kei – Sei – Jaku. To spend the afternoon in the company of Soshitsu Sen the 16th Grand Master of the Urasenke Chado Tradition was such a treat. To have the opportunity to listen to a zen monk discuss life and zen in the modern world was breath taking in its simplicity and mind boggling in its complexity. The Saturday presentation at the NGV started with a beautiful dvd showing a traditional Japanese tea ceremony “Cha no yu”. It explained the activity of preparing, serving and receiving tea – starting with the entrance through the mossy tea garden, through the gateway where you step from the outside world into a new realm. The ceremony is performed in an austere “thatched hut” where every element of the tea making is of equal importance: how the fire it laid, how the utensils are purified through to how the tea is brewed and served. Throughout the dvd the four keystones of Chado (The Way of Tea) were discussed. These keystones are wa meaning harmony, kei meaning respect, sei meaning purity and lastly jaku meaning tranquillity or a state of spiritual peace.

The celebration continued with the Melbourne Urasenke Association performing a tea ceremony on the stage, it was wonderful to see all the elements from the dvd on display.

The final part of the presentation was a lecture by the Grand Master Soshitsu Sen who is a direct descendant of Sen Rikyu (1522 – 1591) whose artistic sense and ideals based on Zen established the foundations for Chado, the Way of Tea. It was an honour to hear him talk about all aspects of Zen in the modern world in a suprisingly light hearted way.