NO, I haven’t gone crazy – I just came across this image this morning and wondered if anyone ever actually ate something like this? I’ll give you the shredded carrot and raisin with orange pineapple jello salad my Great Aunt Rose was partial to; even the creamy lime jello and horseradish mold my Aunt Buzz liked to serve with tacos (hmmm – maybe it’s an AUNT thing?) – but THIS looks just plain weird (and not a tad yucky – to use what I think is the professional term). In any event, there is no jello, limburger and anchovy mash-up on my menu – I was just wonderin’…
It’s supposed to get really warm this weekend, but this morning dawned cool, gray and decidedly foggy; that much better, I suppose, for me to pull together a few last minute bits before we pick up Rich’s mom for a visit tomorrow. I have the marmalade muffins and almond rhubarb coffee cake stashed in the freezer, today’s project is a classic ham quiche, sweet tea and homemade lemonade for Arnold Palmers – tho’ I’d need to get out and pick up some grenadine to make the lemonade properly pink.
For the iced tea, I’ve relied on this recipe from ‘Iced Tea’ by Fred Thompson (no, not THAT Fred Thompson; THIS Fred Thompson)via the Tribune last summer – it handles nicely all the issues I’ve run up against when making iced tea – except, maybe, how much sugar does it take for ‘sweet’ tea – one recipe called for FIVE CUPS (!!!!!) for 2 quarts of tea. Seems a tad much to me. Anyway, here’s Fred’s take on iced tea brewing:
In a glass measuring cup or ceramic teapot large enough to accommodate 2 cups boiling water, place 6 regular-size tea bags and 1/8 teaspoon baking soda. (The baking soda will soften the natural tannins that cause an acid or bitter taste.) Pour 2 cups boiling water over the tea bags. Cover and let steep 15 minutes.
Remove the tea bags, being careful not to squeeze them (squeezing the bags will add bitterness).
Pour concentrate into a two-quart pitcher and add 6 cups cold water. Sweeten, if you like.
Let cool, then chill and serve over ice.
Hints: Tea will become cloudy if refrigerated while still warm. Add a little boiling water to clear up the cloudiness. The tannins in tea also cause cloudiness when the tea is brewed in hard water. If you know you have minerals in your water, use filtered water.