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Magical Color-Changing Iced Tisane

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Today, Heather of Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks has the Festive Foodies celebrating National Iced Tea Month. We drink a lot of tea in my house. That's why when I put this on the table, they made sure to remind me that it's really an Iced Tisane since it's not really a tea. Fine. Before we get to that, here's the Iced Tea Parade from the Festive Foodies for National Iced Tea Month...


 Magical Color-Changing Iced Tisane

Quick note on the terminology here. This is a 'tisane' because - technically - if the brew doesn't include leaves from the tea bush (Camellia sinensis), it's not tea. It's a tisane. I have read about the butterfly pea flower...and how you can use it as a natural food coloring. Then I read about its "magical" color shifting properties.


Like hydrangeas whose blooms turn different colors depending on the pH of the soil they're in, the color of butterfly pea flower tea changes depending on the pH with whatever it's combined. It’s magical!


Before I served it, I wanted to make sure it actually worked. So, my Precise Kitchen Elf did a test run.


Ingredients
  • 3 C water + 2 C water
  • 1/2 C dried butterfly pea flowers
  • 2 C organic granulated sugar
  • organic lemon wedges
  • Also needed: ice, lemon wheels for serving



Procedure
Bring 3 C water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the dried flowers and let steep until the water is a very deep blue color. The longer you let it steep, the better. I let mine stand for, at least, an hour. Strain out the blossoms and pour the liquid back into the saucepan.

Add in the granulated sugar and 2 C more water Heat and swirl the pan until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour into a mason jar and keep refrigerated until ready to use.


To serve, place ice in serving glasses. Pour the tisane over the ice.


Squeeze in lemon juice a little bit at a time until you get the color that you want. 


Stir...


And enjoy!

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