How I Made My Prize-Winning Minty Lemon Balm Sun-Iced Tea

A passion of mine is participating in recipe and cooking contests. During the summer season there is always a batch of sun tea brewing in our yard, there's nothing else like it. So when I came upon the Tetley Tea recipe contest I knew it was one I wanted to enter, and so I did and I WON!

Here's what they had to say about my entry:

Tetley Announces Winner of Nationwide Iced Tea Recipe Competition
First Place goes to Minty Lemon Balm Sun-Iced Tetley Tea

(July 23, 2012 – Boonton, NJ): Tetley USA today announced the winner of their “unique family iced tea” recipe contest. And first place goes to: Minty Lemon Balm Sun-Iced Tetley Tea, by Jennifer Tidwell of Fair Oaks, California. As the name implies, the winning recipe adds natural, fresh ingredients like mint and lemon balm leaves for a refreshing, soothing flavor – and then harnesses the power of the sun to brew this now award-winning treat.

“Tetley’s Iced Tea Blend is the perfect way to cool off during the summer, and it was inspiring to see so many creative ways to serve our iced tea,” said Marc Birnbaum, Marketing Executive at Tetley USA.  “We are grateful that so many people shared their family recipes with us, and while it was difficult to choose just one winner, the taste of Minty Lemon Balm Sun-Iced Tetley Tea really stood out.”

For creating her crowd-pleasing recipe, Tidwell will receive a year supply of
Tetley’s Iced Tea Blend, along with a beautiful iced tea pitcher and glass set
to serve the winning brew.

Minty Lemon Balm Sun-Iced Tetley Tea

Ingredients:
1 c. water, plus more as needed to brew
tea
1 c. white sugar
1/2 c. fresh mint leaves
1/2 c. fresh lemon balm
leaves
5-6 tea bags, depending on desired strength of the tea

Method:
To make the simple syrup, combine one cup of water, one cup of sugar, mint and lemon balm in a saucepot and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often until sugar is completely dissolved and the herbs infuse into the syrup. Remove from heat and set aside.
In the meantime add enough water to a tea jar along with the tea bags and set out in the sun early in the morning on a hot summer day. Keep in sun for as long as possible until the tea is infused into the water. Add simple syrup to tea and cool in the fridge until cold.

The winning recipe can also be found here.