Chef notes
The heat in Sicily during the summer can be upwards of 100 F. Traditionally, Sicilians will drink a limone e sale to beat the heat and hydrate. This drink consists of lemon juice, carbonated water and a pinch of salt. I'm putting a bit of a twist on this by adding iced tea and a bit of sweetener. It's the perfect not-too-sweet refresher with an added electrolyte bonus!
Swap option: Try this with raspberry or even mint iced tea.
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 4 cups unsweetened iced tea
- 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 cup simple syrup (recipe above)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- club soda, to top
Preparation
For the simple syrup: Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to a simmer and cook until sugar granules dissolve, about 3 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature before chilling in the fridge.
For the base: Using a large pitcher, combine iced tea, lemon juice, simple syrup and salt. Mix to combine.
To serve: Add 1/2 cup tea mixture to a glass filled with ice. Top with club soda. Serve immediately.