July means blueberry season here in Connecticut, and boy am I happy about that! I am thrilled to have a farm share this year from Farmer Joe’s Gardens in Wallingford. Someday I’ll write a whole post about CSA’s and why they are amazing fantastic and wonderful. But for now, let me just brag on these blueberries!
I’m not knocking store bought or frozen blueberries, no matter what form they take blueberries are one of the most powerful sources of antioxidants and nutrients. But you haven’t truly tasted a blueberry until you have an organic, farm fresh, just picked berry. They are so sweet, yet tart, plump and juicy and delicious! I could nom a whole pint in one night if I’m not careful!
Our farm share also gave us a baby basil plant, which is awesome because I love basil in pesto! I already had a big ol’ basil bush of my own too, so this new plant will become my second harvest in a few weeks. I harvested a ton of basil in anticipation of said pesto, and then wondered what else I could use it for.
Well, with the weather being as hot as it has been, in the 90s on average across the country, nice iced beverages have been what keeps me going each day. While I am all in favor of massive volumes of water in general, sometimes you want something with a different flavor. You can of course simply crush some berries and add them right to water to add some flavor.
But iced tea is really what I crave on a midsummer day. So I thought, why not use this fresh pungent basil and plump blueberries together to make a refreshing summer beverage? The flavors seems strange, until you try them together. Then you realize the truth, they were made for each other.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup blueberries
- Handful fresh basil leaves
- 2 cups fresh brewed tea
Step 1: In a cup, crush the blueberries and muddle the basil leaves to release the juices. Add the fresh brewed tea and let it sit and brew for 5-10 minutes.
Step 2: Strain into a glass filled with ice and enjoy!
You can definitely mix this up and use other berries such as strawberries, blackberries, raspberries. Try other fresh herbs like mint, sage, or lavender. And if you want, you can make this an adults-only tea and add a shot of rum or iced tea schnapps!
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