What's cooler than being cool? Ice-cold...

Yep, it's yet another rant about the malarial heat of Nashville, when you just want to lay around without any clothes on...oh wait, that's not appropriate for this blog.

Instead, how about when you just feel downright maniacal as the temps reach 90 degrees and the mosquitoes are out and you just don't look too cute with those visible beads of moisture crowding your temples and upper lip.

Yeah, it's so hot. And not in a Paris Hilton kind of way. Thus, it's time to make some iced tea and chill the hell out.

For tea, I like to use my blue pitcher, formerly used by my beloved late Grandmother Coxey to make her fruit tea - a disgusting mix of brewed iced tea and whatever fruit juice happened to be accessible, such as orange juice or the remaining syrupy juice from the canned peaches, pears or pineapple in her oh-so-1950s style ubiquitous fruit salads.

Don't get me started on her favorite throwback of a salad, the half of a chilled canned pear nested on iceberg lettuce with shredded cheddar cheese and a dollop of mayo and a maraschino cherry tucked in the pear's center. Though to tell you the truth, I kinda miss it, the same way I miss seeing her overflowing Estee Lauder makeup bag in our guest bathroom when she visited or the haphazard way she parked her mammoth "hoopty" Chrystler Fifth Avenue anywhere she pleased. Lord help the ninety year-old woman who tightly held on to her car keys, speed and safety be damned!

I digress.

Anyway, the tea. Yes, it's tea time at the Adams house, where all things Anglo are awesome. This weekend we're forgoing the cucumber tea sandwiches for gyros, however, and guzzling it down with iced tea brewed with PG Tips tea bags.

To achieve incredible, cooling tea Adams-style: brew five bags in boiled water for five minutes, add a third cup of sugar and fresh cold water to fill, and if Scott has his way, a couple leaves from our mint plant. Bring to room temp and tuck it in the fridge for a while. Pour over ice and have a moment of refreshing calm before you have to move again and break a sweat in this forsaken oppressive heat.


I honestly forgot about iced tea for a couple of years - we went on a limeade kick last summer and we're not really cola/pop/soda/whathaveyou drinkers, so it was usually water/beer/cranberry juice/wine for a while. Now we're onto tea and so far it's been a sublime relief from the pre-summer swelter.

Check back soon to see if the tea is truly a panacea for what I like to call "When Scott Really Loses His Shit" due to the oppressive heat. The phrase "I need something cold and fruity. Now!" is legendary in our relationship. I'll save that one for another post.

Too da loo for now.

E