Iced tea mixed with lemonade—also called an Arnold Palmer—is incredibly refreshing. This version is made with a hit of spicy ginger syrup and basil so it tastes a bit more complex, but it’s still really simple to make. You’ll want to drink this all summer long.

　　

Ingredients

4 to 6 servings

　　3 black tea bags, such as English breakfast tea

　　2 packed cups fresh basil leaves

　　1 1/3 cups Ginger Simple Syrup (recipe follows)

　　2/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)

　　1 cup sparkling water, chilled

　　2 cups ice

　　Lemon slices, for garnish (optional)

　　

Ginger Simple Syrup

1 cup sugar

　　1 (3-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped

　　(makes 1 1/2 cups)

　　

Step 1

In a small saucepan, bring 2 cups water to a boil over high heat. Remove the pan from the heat and add the tea bags. Stir and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Remove the tea bags and discard.

　　

Step 2

Lay the basil leaves on a cutting board and cover with a sheet of plastic wrap. Using a rolling pin, roll over the basil to bruise the leaves. Remove the plastic wrap and add the bruised basil to the tea. Pour in the ginger simple syrup and lemon juice. Refrigerate the mixture for 1 hour.

　　

Step 3

Just before serving, add the sparkling water to the tea mixture. Place the ice in a large pitcher and pour the lemonade over the ice. Garnish with lemon slices, if using, and serve.

　　

Ginger Simple Syrup

Step 4

In a small saucepan, combine the sugar, 1 cup water, and the ginger over medium heat. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the syrup to cool, about 20 minutes. Strain before using.

　　Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis. Copyright © 2010 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by the Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.