Tea Concentrate

Combine 1/4 cup loose tea leaves or 12 tea bags (any flavor or variety) with 5 cups water in a 3- to 4-quart pan. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil, uncovered, until liquid is reduced to 4 cups, about 6 minutes. Pour liquid concentrate through a fine strainer into a container; discard residue. Cover and chill until cold, at least 3 hours or up to 2 weeks. This whole recipe makes 12 servings when diluted, 1 pint concentrate to 3 pints liquid. May be mixed with water for plain iced tea or used in the following recipes: Apricot Tea Sparkler 1 1/3 cups tea concentrate 1 1/3 cups chilled canned apricot nectar 1 1/3 cups chilled sparkling water Mix and pour over ice cubes. Makes 4 servings. Cinnamon Citrus 1 1/3 cup tea concentrate Thinly pared peel of 1 small orange 1 cinnamon stick, 2 inches 2 2/3 cups chilled sparkling water 1/4 to 1/2 cup thawed orange juice or tangerine juice concentrate Mix tea concentrate, orange peel, and cinnamon. Bring to a boil, then chill at least an hour. Discard orange peel and cinnamon stick. Add sparkling water. Place the orange juice or tangerine juice concentrate in the bottoms of 4 glasses. Add ice cubes. Gently pour the tea into the concentrate and stir before sipping. Makes 4 servings.