Ingredients

• 3 orange pekoe tea bags
• 1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 4 cups water
• five 5 1/2-ounce cans peach nectar (about 3 1/3 cups), chilled
• 1/4 cup chilled simple syrup or to taste
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 1 1/4 cups water
• Garnish: peach slices and basil sprigs

Instructions

1. Put tea bags and basil in a quart-size glass measure or heatproof bowl.
2. In a saucepan bring water just to a boil and pour over tea bags. Steep tea 5 minutes and strain through a sieve into a heatproof pitcher. Cool tea and chill, covered, until cold, about 1 hour.
3. Stir in nectar and syrup. Serve tea over ice in tall glasses and garnish with peach slices and basil sprigs.
4. To make simple syrup: In a saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring, and boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Let syrup cool and chill, covered. Syrup may be made 2 weeks ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 2 cups.
5. In a saucepan bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring, and boil until sugar is completely dissolved. Let syrup cool and chill, covered. Syrup may be made 2 weeks ahead and chilled, covered. Makes about 2 cups.