Gina: You don’t think my whimsy ends with cocktails, do you? Sweet iced tea is the elixir of the South, so I decided that our Neely “house” tea needed to have a little pizzazz. Honey, I found it by combining fresh raspberries with hibiscus tea, which has a brilliant crimson color and beautiful fruit-and-floral flavors.

　　

Ingredients

serves 8

　　10 bags Raspberry Zinger tea

　　4 bags hibiscus tea

　　12 cups water

　　

Sugar syrup

1 cup sugar

　　1 cup water

　　1 pint raspberries

　　1/2 cup fresh lime juice

　　Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

　　

Step 1

Place the tea bags in a large heat-proof pitcher. Boil the water, pour it over the tea bags, and allow it to steep for at least 10 minutes. Remove the tea bags, and allow the tea to cool.

　　

Step 2

Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan, and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer briefly, stirring, until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and add the raspberries, then allow the mixture to come to room temperature.

　　

Step 3

Combine the tea, raspberry syrup, and fresh lime juice in a large pitcher. To serve, pour the sweet tea into large glasses filled with ice and garnish with sprigs of mint.

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.