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Yields: 8 to 10 serving

INGREDIENTS

10 sprigs fresh mint, wash and remove leaves **see note at bottom
1 cup lemon juice (about 5 lemons)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 water
1 quart Ginger Ale, chilled
Crushed ice
Additional sprigs of mint or slice of lemon for garnish

PREPARATION

1). Pour lemon juice, sugar, water over mint leaves. Let stand 30 minutes.

2). Add Ginger Ale and crushed ice, and stir vigorously until pitcher is frosted.

TO SERVE

Pour into chilled glasses and serve with a slice of lemon on top or a few mint leaves.

**NOTES: Any mint may be used. My favorite is Applemint. But use your favorite mint, and enjoy this summertime treat.

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PREPARATION

Add freshly grated ginger root to teapot. Add boiling water. Let steep for five minutes.

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Yields: 6 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 bunch (1-1/2 to 2 ounces) fresh lemon balm
1 small lemon, thinly sliced
4 mint tea bags
2 cups boiling water
3 tablespoons honey
4 cups cold water

PREPARATION

1. Reserve 6 sprigs of lemon balm for garnish. Combine remaining lemon balm, lemon slices, and mint tea in a teapot. Pour in boiling water. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes.

2. Remove tea bags. Stir in honey. Cool to room temperature.

3. Strain into a large pitcher or decanter. Add cold water and stir well. Refrigerate until serving time. Pour cold tea over ice in glasses.

TO SERVE

Garnish with reserved lemon balm.

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Yields: 6-8 servings

INGREDIENTS

3 cups boiling water
4 tea bags
1/3 cup honey
3 cups apple juice

PREPARATION

1). Steep tea bags in hot water for 5 minutes.

2). Remove tea bags and stir in honey and juice until honey is dissolved.

3). Chill and serve over ice.

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Yields: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

4 cups medium-leaf hot black tea, such as orange pekoe or Darjeeling
1 cup blackberries
Honey to taste

PREPARATION

1). In a bowl, combine the hot tea with the blackberries. Let steep for 1 hour.

2). With the back of a wooden spoon, crush the berries in the tea, then pour through a fine strainer into a pitcher. Add honey to taste and chill for at least 2 hours.

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Yields: about 2 quarts

INGREDIENTS

Simple Syrup:
1/2 sugar
1 cup water
- - - - - -
Juice from 15 lemons
1-1/2 quarts sparkling water
1-1/2 pints strawberries, stemmed, rinsed, and quartered
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves

PREPARATION

1). To make the syrup combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer until clear. Remove from heat and let cool.

2). In a pitcher, combine the juice and sparkling water.

3). In a food processor combine the strawberries, sugar, simple syrup, adn mint leaves and puree until combined well.

4). Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into the pitcher. Stir to combine and adjust the sweetness.

TO SERVE

Pour lemonade over ice and garnish with fresh sprigs of mint.

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INGREDIENTS

Unsprayed, pesticide-free your choice of flowers or herbs such as marigold, mint leaves, lemon balm leaves, Johnny-jump-ups, pansies, plum blosssom, scented geranium flowers or violets. If using leaves from herbs choose tiny, new leaves.

PREPARATION

1). Remove petals and stems from the flowers or remove herb leaves from stems and brush to clean off any dirt or dust.

2). Place 3 to 4 petals or leaves in each compartment of an ice cube tray, fill halfway with water and freeze for 2 hours. Fill tray with water to top and freeze until solid.

TO SERVE

Place one or two cubes in a glass and fill with iced tea of choice.

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INGREDIENTS

4 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp allspice
1 cup non-dairy creamer

PREPARATION

1). Combine ingredients and store in an airtight container.

TO SERVE