I can drink gallons of sweet tea by myself.  I wish I were kidding.  Sometimes I have to force myself not to pour another tantalizingly water-beaded glass of my beloved, nectar-sweet summer beverage.  But…I…want…it!  There are times I can restrain myself.  I down a wholesome glass of water.  (Blech.)  There are times when I give in.  Big time.

This weekend I went off the deep end.  What you see here is not only sweet tea, but sweet tea spun in a blender with lots of ice and some ginger simple syrup.*  Slices of lemon say, “Summer!”  Even though it’s not really summer, when I closed my eyes and sipped this drink, I believed what those little lemons were telling me.

*Ginger Simple Syrup: measure equal parts water and sugar, as in any simple syrup.  Heat on the stove, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves.  Add grated fresh ginger and steep for several minutes.  When the scent is intense enough for you, strain the syrup into a container you can store in the fridge.