Honeysuckle Iced Tea

Honeysuckle tea is made with the delicate white and yellow flowers of the Japanese Honeysuckle vine.  It’s considered an invasive species, so gardeners and conservationists don’t like it, but it is pretty common, so chances are there’s a vine or two near you.  The flowers come in pairs, and you’ll want to pluck them right at their base, where the nectar is.  Look for freshly opened flowers, and avoid or pick out the leaves, stems, and berries.
Ingredients:

• about 2 cups honeysuckle blossoms;
• garnish;
• fresh mint sprigs;
• a few honeysuckle blossoms.

Process:
Pluck the blossoms from the honeysuckle vine. Discard any leaves or green parts. Try to take the freshly opened flowers, and even the buds that are about to open. Put them in a pitcher or mason jar.
Cover with about 2 ½ cups water that has been heated to just boiling. Give it a good stir and let steep at room temperature for several hours. Then refrigerate overnight.
Strain the tea through a fine mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or a coffee filter. The coffee filter will yield a crystal clear tea.
Serve cold over ice with a mint sprig and a few blossoms for garnish.