Elderberry Blossom Iced Tea (w/optional Additions)

Total Time: 25 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 10 mins

Ingredients

• 2 -4 elderberries, flower blooms (remove the blooms from the main stem)
• filtered water, for boiling
• ice cube
• rose water
• orange blossom water
• lemon slices (grapefruit?) or lime slice (grapefruit?)
• raw sugar (or other sugar of choice) or agave (or other sugar of choice) or honey (or other sugar of choice)
• fresh mint (apple mint, pineapple mint, orange mint, etc.)
• fresh lemon verbena, lemon balm or pineapple sage
• cinnamon (if you're brewing hot tea) or cardamom (if you're brewing hot tea)

Recipe

• 1 pick fresh elder flowers from an elderberry tree. remove the blooms from the stems and discard stems.
• 2 place 2 to 4 fresh elder flowers in a heatproof bowl. (i tested this recipe using 3 stems of elderflowers and 6 cups of water).
• 3 boil the water.
• 4 pour the boiled water over the flowers to cover.
• 5 cover the bowl and allow the flowers to steep for about 10 minutes.
• 6 strain the tea and set aside to cool then refrigerate until well chilled. (can also be served hot.).
• 7 to serve, pour the chilled tea over ice cubes. stir in your favorite additions.
• 8 i floated a few of the individual blossoms on top of the tea.