Mint Iced Tea

Ingredients

• 1 cups fresh mint – leaves picked
• 8 cups water
• 6 tea bags black tea bags
• 1 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cups water
• ice cubes – for serving
• fresh mint sprigs – for serving
• 1 lemon – sliced (for serving)

Instructions

1. Rinse the mint and pick enough leaves to firmly fill 1 cup; set the sprigs reserved for garnish aside.
2. Bring 8 cups of water to a boil in a pot. Remove from heat, add the black tea bags and the 1 cup mint leaves, cover, and steep for 5 minutes.
3. Lift out and discard the tea bags without squeezing to avoid bitterness. Let the mint continue steeping for 5 minutes more, then strain the tea into a 2-quart pitcher and discard the mint.
4. Make a simple syrup: In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup water and the sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, 2–3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool 5 minutes.
5. Stir the warm simple syrup into the mint tea. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, about 2 hours, or until cold to the touch.
6. Serve the mint iced tea over ice cubes. Garnish each glass with a fresh mint sprig and a lemon slice.