By May. May. May. The month that proves Hartford has a spring after all. Lilacs in bloom on Asylum Avenue. Tulips done already. The peonies in my front bed coming. The kitchen window open during dinner. The neighborhood smelling of cut grass and wet pavement after the brief afternoon storms.
Mother's Day fell on a Sunday. The family came. Twenty people. Sofía and Rosa cooked. They told me to sit. I sat for ten minutes. I got up. I started directing. Rosa said, "Ma, sit." I said, "Mija, I am sitting in my mind." Sofía said, "Ma, your mind is not sitting." I said, "Mija, sit my body." I sat. I directed from the chair. The pernil came out at four hours instead of six because Sofía had not understood the slow heat principle, which is fine for chicken but not for pork shoulder, but it was fine — chewy in places, but the flavor was right. I did not say anything. I am learning. The students are not me. The daughters are not me. The food can be different from how I would do it and still be good.
Mami came for Mother's Day. Eduardo drove her at noon. She stayed three hours. She sat in the dining room — which is now part of the kitchen since we knocked the wall down in 2019, the room is the room — and she held court like the queen she has always been. Each grandchild brought her a little gift. Lucas had drawn a picture of her in colored pencil. He had given her purple hair. She loved it. She said, "Lucas, I have always wanted purple hair." Camila brought her a flower from our front bed. Mateo brought her a rock. Andrés cried in her lap and she held him and he stopped crying. Isabella read her a poem from school about a tree. Mami listened and at the end said, "Isabella, that is a good poem. The tree was wise." Isabella beamed.
Sofía gave me a card she had made. She had drawn a kitchen with three women in it — Abuela Consuelo, Mami, me. She had written: Three generations. Four with me coming. I cried. Sofía said, "Ma, please." I said, "Mija, four generations." Mami said, "Five. Lucas is six. Camila is four. They are five." She was right. Five generations of cooks. Sofía hugged Mami. Mami patted her hair.
At 4 PM Eduardo drove Mami home. She had had her Mother's Day. The family stayed until 9. We cleaned. I went to bed at 11. I slept. Wepa.
Twenty people in a house on a warm May afternoon means you need something cold and plentiful and not fussy — something you can set out in a big pitcher and walk away from. With Sofía managing the pernil and Rosa handling everything else, I needed one thing I could actually contribute from my chair: this honey citrus iced tea, which I have been making for big gatherings for years because it comes together quickly, it fills the pitcher generously, and it tastes like spring smells the moment you open the kitchen window.
Honey Citrus Iced Tea
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 20 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling) | Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 8 cups water, divided
- 6 black tea bags
- 1/3 cup honey, plus more to taste
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 3 lemons)
- 1/4 cup fresh orange juice (about 1 orange)
- 1 lemon, thinly sliced, for serving
- 1 orange, thinly sliced, for serving
- Fresh mint sprigs, for serving (optional)
- Ice, for serving
Instructions
- Steep the tea. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Steep for 5 to 7 minutes, then remove the bags without squeezing them (squeezing adds bitterness). Let the brewed tea cool slightly.
- Make the honey syrup. While the tea steeps, combine the honey with 1/2 cup of hot water in a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir until the honey fully dissolves into a smooth syrup. This ensures it blends evenly into the cold tea.
- Combine. Pour the warm brewed tea into a large pitcher. Add the remaining 4 cups of cold water, the honey syrup, the lemon juice, and the orange juice. Stir well to combine.
- Chill. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour until cold. Taste and adjust sweetness with additional honey syrup or brightness with a squeeze more lemon.
- Serve. Pour over ice into glasses and garnish with lemon slices, orange slices, and a sprig of fresh mint if you have it. For a party, add the citrus slices directly to the pitcher for a pretty presentation.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 55 | Protein: 0g | Fat: 0g | Carbs: 15g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 5mg