A Most Excellent Raspberry Iced Tea - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 quarts cold water
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup loose green tea leaves
2 cups fresh raspberries
OTHER ADDITIONS
1 limes or 1 lemon, sliced thinly
1 vanilla bean, halved & scraped
1 tablespoon peppercorn
1 tablespoon allspice berry
1 whole star anise
1 cinnamon stick

Preparation

In a 4qt pot, combine water & sugar. This is the time to add a vanilla bean or your whole spice of choice. Bring to a boil.
Turn off heat & add tea leaves. Cover & let stand to steep & cool an hour or so.
When somewhat cooled, add fresh raspberries. Continue to let steep/cool a couple more hours.
Mash raspberries to be sure all juice is extracted. Pour through a fine mesh strainer, pushing on solids to get all the liquid, into a 2qt. pitcher. Add lemon or lime slices, if desired.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.