Refrigerator tea

Doug Nelson · #1 10-03-2006, 12:43 PM

After seeing a news segment on the "dangers" of sun tea (one of my favorite things), where the biologist they spoke with recommended "refrigerator tea" instead, I decided to try it (bachelor style). I took a couple of regular everyday Lipton's teabags and stuffed them into my favorite bottled water. The only trick is to feed in some extra string (since they float at first). Then I put the cap back on over the strings and put it in the fridge for 12-24hrs.

Pulling them back out is tougher than putting them in, but the trick is to only use the string until you can grab the teabag itself.

Delicious tea, and zero bitterness. And no dishes

Swampy · #2 10-03-2006, 02:54 PM

What are the dangers of "sun tea" ('round here we've always called it "cowboy tea")? I've been fixing it for 50 years and nobody's gotten sick yet.

Doug Nelson · #3 10-03-2006, 03:32 PM

http://www.snopes.com/food/prepare/suntea.asp

NancyJ · #4 10-03-2006, 04:01 PM

...I'd never heard of sun tea before (not something that would catch on well in the UK) but that sounds thouroughly disgusting - I cant believe its taken so long for anyone to realise that leaving perishables out to fester might be bad for you!

Racc Iria · #5 10-03-2006, 04:19 PM

I used to live out in the southern Arizona desert. My Mom made sun tea all the time. Never had a problem. Never got sick. Nor did anyone else we knew who drank or made it. And it tasted delicious!

If your water or tea isn't contanimated in the first place, the sun won't make the bacteria magically appear. Plus, I'd say that if your water or tea is contaminated then you're probably consuming the bacteria to some degree regardless of how you make it, short of boiling the water.

--Racc