One of my favorite summertime drinks is an Arnold Palmer, a drink with half lemonade and half iced tea. It’s usually made with freshly brewed black tea (works well with green tea too), lemonade and lots of ice. I decided to make my own version of this drink. This ginger lemon tea is twice as good as my Arnold Palmer! The spiciness of the ginger is offset by the tartness of the lemon, and then sweetened by either maple syrup or agave. Yum! You could double the recipe and make a big pitcher, as the base recipe stores well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Pulse 8 ounces of peeled and chopped fresh ginger in a food processor to a coarse paste. Bring ginger and 6 cups of water to a boil in a medium saucepan, reduce heat and simmer until it reduces to 3 cups, about 30-40 minutes. Strain into a large jar and mix in 1/2 cup lemon juice and 1/3 cup pure maple syrup or agave syrup. Add more lemon juice or less sweetener if desired. Let cool and cover. Keep chilled. Makes 3 1/2 cups. This recipe makes a very strong tea. Feel free to cut back on the ginger or add more water and/or ice.

Variations:

Dark and Stormy – add 2 ounces of dark rum to 2 ounces of tea, add ice and top off with club soda and a lime wedge. Makes 1 serving.

Strawberry Ginger Lemonade – muddle 3 hulled strawberries in a glass and add 4 ounces of the tea and stir well. Add ice and garnish with a lemon slice. Makes 1 serving.

Source: Bon Appetite