cocktail hour: lemony spiked iced tea

Labor Day Weekend... Traditionally the last hurrah of summer (but here in the Northwest we definitely stretch summer into late September). This Lemony Spiked Iced Tea isn't your "John Daley" variety... it starts with orange pekoe tea and adds rum and lemon (recipe is below the break). 

There's nowhere better I can imagine imbibing this end of summer cocktail than this beautifully rehabbed 1960s rancher in Amagansett.

Image from Elle Decor

Of course it doesn't hurt that this vacation home is the product of Athena Calderone (cofounder of design firm Ralwins Calderone Design) and her husband, a NY-based house-music DJ who works with the likes of Beyonce and Madonna. Don't you just want to take a dip?

Image from Elle Decor

Lemony Spiked Iced Tea

7 cups water
6 orange pekoe tea bags
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/3 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 cup Bacardi 151 or other high-proof golden rum
Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish
Directions

Bring 4 cups of the water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the tea bags. Remove the pan from the heat, cover it, and allow the tea bags to steep for 5 minutes.
Remove and discard the tea bags. Add the sugar to the saucepan and stir until dissolved. Add the remaining 3 cups water and stir to combine. Transfer the mixture to a pitcher, and add the lemon juice and rum. Chill thoroughly before serving.
Serve over ice, in tall glasses garnished with mint sprigs.

Recipe and top image from Martha Stewart