Ethiopian Thyme Iced Tea

I LOVE iced tea in the Summer time. I could just drink gallons and gallons of it, become really dehydrated, and not care because it is just so damn good. Although, I rarely order iced tea in a restaurant...probably because I'm usually ordering wine or a gin and tonic.

You know how for some people they could just drink hot coffee all day every day? Well iced tea is my thing. It is so comforting and soothing. And then there is the blissful moment half way through the second glass of caffeine buzz happiness...so zen. Then after that buzz you keep drinking because you just want to keep that feeling alive, but instead you end up jittery and your heart is racing and you're cursing yourself for having too much caffeine. Wait, we're still talking about iced tea, right?

Queen of Sheba's Thyme Iced Tea

Not only is iced tea comforting, but it is a ritual. I love rituals. For the past two or so years, every morning (ok, afternoon) I walk down to a cafe called the Fresh Pot. It is a little coffee shop that serves "Portland's" coffee brand, Stumptown, and is situated inside a mini Powell's Books on Hawthorne. So I wake-up, put some pants on, and take a walk to get my iced tea. I just love taking walks. Just getting out of the house and breathing in fresh air wakes me up and clears my head. If I'm ever feeling claustrophobic from being in the house too long or feeling a little sad or lonely I take a walk. Or if I'm just bored, I will take myself on a walk. I really need a dog, I know. Walking a dog is a lot more fun than walking yourself.

Living on Hawthorne street is awesome because I will always have a destination and something to do. Whether it's getting coffee or checking out the newest books at Powell's or popping into Buffalo Exchange to look at clothes or, my other favorite thing, getting frozen yogurt from Swirl, and I always feel better after I get home. A past teacher of mine has a motto that she lives by and it's this, "eat a good meal and take a walk." It is some of the best advice I have ever received. If you follow this advice and eat healthy and get some physical activity in every day, you will live a much happier and healthier life. And by physical activity I don't mean going to the gym everyday, because honestly that is just too much for some people. Just get outside one or two times a day and clear your head, see some tress, move your body. So simple and so beneficial.

Back to the tea. So at the Fresh Pot they serve this Ethiopian thyme iced tea, and it is SO good. Cold, big thyme flavor, hints of cinnamon and clove and finished off with a kiss of honey. LOVE. But I'm spending $3.25 every single day on this stuff! So I decided to try and make my own, and I did it. Successfully! And if you have not experienced it yourself, I highly recommend you either go to a local Fresh Pot and try some, or make you own...it's super easy.

Ingredients:

• 4-5 black tea bags; preferably a mild black tea like Lipton or Earl Grey. English Breakfast types tend to be too strong
• ~15 sprigs of fresh thyme; I just buy pre-packaged from Freddie's
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 Tbsp cloves
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/4 cup honey

Step 1: Boil 6 cups of water in a pot over high heat.

Step 2: When boiling point is reached, take pot off burner and add the tea bags and thyme to steep.

Step 3: After 5 minutes take tea bags out and add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom and honey.

Clove, rosemary, cinnamon, cardamom powder

Step 4: At this point I let the rest of the ingredients steep for another 10 minutes
Step 5: Strain, bottle, and enjoy!

Jug from Freddie's for $7

Since the tea is concentrated, I fill a mug about 1/2 to 2/3 full of tea, add ice, and fill the rest up with cold water. This dilutes the tea and makes it last longer.


I hope you enjoy this recipe and please let me know what you think!

And remember, eat a good meal and take a walk.