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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

You came to the right blog for Belize Resources and Information.

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How to Make the Best Iced Tea, an Avocado Tip and a Cool Camera Trick

by tacogirl 02/09/2015
written by tacogirl 02/09/2015
Belize Food

Making Sun Tea

As hot as it has been in San Pedro lately I have taken to making iced tea again. Inspired by a recent trip to Lamanai Landings in Orange Walk I found the missing puzzle piece to that.

I was always into making sun tea and consider it the lazy cook’s way. It does not get any easier than water, pitcher tea, and sun. I used to use honey as a sweetener and while Belizean Honey does not taste quite the same as the sweet Canadian honey I was used to I still like it. However, I found something even better and am not sure why I never thought of it before as I used to make it all the time for the hummingbirds – simple syrup.

When we got to Lamanai Landings and were chatting with Blanca and Enrique after checking into our room, they offered us an iced tea. Immediately we were both wowed by the flavor. Blanca explained that simple syrup was the trick to making such good iced tea. I vowed when I got home I was going to try it and share my results.

Making Simple Syrup

You can use any kind of sugar to make simple syrup, it is very easy and dilutes well in any cold or warm drinks without leaving sugar granules behind. Mine is a little more labor intensive because I use a raw form of sugar called panela that is a product of Belize. It is very dark and rich tasting because it has more molasses in it. Since it comes in a large hard chunk I shave off with a knife or use a grater to break it up smaller. You can buy panela at Greenhouse on Pescador Dr. (Middle Street) for $10.90 BZD.

You can experiment and add other flavorings such as fresh ginger and mint. You can either simmer additional ingredients in with your sugar or add after cooling. Let it sit 20 to 30 minutes but if you do use the flavoring, the added ingredients will need to be strained when done.

Aside from iced tea, this little mixture is a great addition to cocktails.

Once your simple syrup is done, store in a nice glass container. I put a picture below of the one I bought upstairs at Caye Supplies for $6.95 BZD. They had a slightly nicer pair of similar jars that came in a set for $96 BZD. I almost hit the floor when I saw them first. Thankfully I looked around more and found the less expensive model.
To make sun tea you will need

  • Clear glass container; if you use plastic, make sure it is BPA free. Use a lid to keep bugs or dust out.
  • Sugar; I prefer raw brown sugar sold in Belize that comes in a large chunk but any sugar will work.
  • Water; I use distilled water as I do not drink tap water in Belize unless I am in Placencia. To find out more about that read my post Drinkable tap water and 3 restaurants in Placencia.
  • 3 – 5 bags of tea depending on the size of your pitcher and how strong you want it to taste. I have been using Jasmine Green Iced tea but any kind of tea will work.

Place tea bags and water in your container and put it in the sun; no pots or boiling water required. Let tea steep for 2 – 4 hours. I put mine on the veranda. Make sure to inspect your tea. If it has an unusual consistency it could be bacteria. Throw that batch away out wash your jar well with hot soapy water and start again.

Panela raw sugar

Panela raw sugar available at Greenhouse

Belize Food

Shaving panela off with a knife for my sweet tea

Belize Pictures

Artsy pen and ink style picture of my glass jar for simple syrup

Belize Pictures

Artsy cartoon style picture of my glass jar for simple syrup

A Cool Camera Trick with my Samsung Samsung WB150F

Watch this very short video to see how I was able to take the funky looking Belize pictures above on my camera.

A Very Useful Avocado Tip

Since we are in avocado season in Belize, I thought I would share a useful tip with you to help keep your avocados from browning if you do not use it all at once.

I can easily eat a whole avocado at once because I use them for weight gain. However, sometimes I will split it into 2 and use half with my lunch and half with my dinner. When you see the size of my avocados below you will see why they were either a meal in itself or used for two.

To help keep avocados fresh when you are only using half, use this helpful trick. Leave the pit in and tightly wrapping before storing in the fridge. The thinking behind this is that the pit helps cover a large portion of the avocado and allows less air to come in contact thus helping it not brown as quickly.

I have heard it is supposed to work putting the pit in leftover guacamole for overnight storage too but have yet to try that. If you do, make sure you have the least amount of air possible when you cover your guac. I have also heard onion works to keep avocados from browning. Does anyone know if either of these last two bits is true?

Belize Food

Fresh cut avocado

Belize Food

Half the avocado 7 hours later with minimal browning

Looking for Lunch in San Pedro Belize

Since avocados do not do much worth videoing, I thought I would share with you the short clip I took of a bird looking for his next meal at the Caribbean Sea Restaurant 🙂

Related

tacogirl

Laure Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

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Corey Holm
Corey Holm
04:38 25 Feb 20
I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
Carol Taylor
Carol Taylor
15:53 24 Feb 20
Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton! I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s... always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
20:58 30 Nov 19
I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and... local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
Sandra Godfrey
Sandra Godfrey
15:58 23 Nov 19
I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
William Jones
William Jones
13:39 06 May 19
Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do... what everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
Kimberly Robinson
Kimberly Robinson
18:28 03 May 19
Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
Michael Rieck
Michael Rieck
20:22 21 Apr 19
Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation.

If you have any questions or want Belize discounts, Contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

3 childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age.Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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