Today would mark the 81st birthday of my mother-in-law, the remarkable Diana Shafroth. She died in January and as an homage to her flavorista memory, I offer her famous iced tea.
Next year, I will feature her preferred cocktail during the summer, the Gogi Special. It was invented somewhere on the Atlantic ocean as she, her husband John and their close friends Bunny and Ruth Burns were sailing home from Europe.
Her iced tea was a true family favorite. Tracey remembers Diana serving it in a large silver pitcher at bridge and tennis games. She insisted that Lipton tea bags and reconstituted lemon juice be used. So don’t try and get all fancy with this recipe. It is indeed very refreshing. The glass above was hand blown by her daughter the amazing Tracey Shafroth.
Gogi’s Iced Tea
12 Lipton Tea Bags
25 large sprigs of mint (preferably from your garden)
1 1/2 cups of sugar
1 gallon water, boiled
1 1/2 cups reconstituted lemon juice ( or use fresh lemon juice to your taste, I do.)
Place the tea bags, mint and sugar in a large pitcher and pour the boiled water into the pitcher and allow to steep for 3 hours at room temperature. Remove the tea bags and mint sprigs. Add the lemon juice, stir well and enjoy over ice with a fresh mint garnish.
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