This Is Martha Stewart's Favorite Dinnertime Drink

This year's Halloween cover of Martha Stewart Living magazine is extravagant, to say the least. Stewart herself is pictured on the cover, adorned in a bejeweled queen's gown and crown and holding a scepter and a golden orb, prepared to take on whatever comes her way. As an artistic, culinary, and cultural icon, Stewart is known for her distinct, recognizable style. But that style, though occasionally fancy and ornamented, is rooted in simplicity. This simplicity is particularly noticeable in Stewart's taste in beverages: Her favorite dinnertime drink isn't an espresso martini or an Aperol spritz, but a humble glass of Pure Leaf iced tea with ice and lemon. 

"I drink [tea] with a lot of lemon," Stewart said in a Daily Meal interview about her upcoming 100th cookbook. "There's citric acid in my sugarless iced tea that I drink, my Pure Leaf," she continued, highlighting her recent partnership with the brand. "I really do find iced tea extremely refreshing, and to have it pre-made in my fridge, easy access, I can just carry this little thing in my car, it is a delight."

While there are plenty of other ingredients to elevate homemade iced tea, Stewart takes the classic route and goes with lemon and ice for a delicious combo that features a bit of a sour punch. Not only is her preferred drink a refreshing accompaniment to a wide range of dishes, but it's also a smart option due to its sugar-free nature.

For those who don't drink alcohol or who are looking to cut back on it, Stewart's drink of choice is also her version of a cocktail. "I often use it [for] cocktail time," she said. "Last night I had it with dinner because I don't drink a lot of alcoholic beverages. It is very refreshing and it looks good in a goblet or it looks good in the bottle that it comes with." This drink is an easy-to-make alternative to an over-the-top mocktail, and it tastes just as good. If you want to get more creative with it, there are plenty of unique ways to garnish a non-alcoholic drink, so, whether it's edible flowers or fruit skewers, let your imagination take flight for an elevated version of this beverage classic. 

If you like a bit of a buzz during dinner, there are plenty of ways to customize Stewart's base drink recipe with alcohol. Try turning your iced tea into a 3-ingredient whisky cocktail with just iced tea, bourbon, and maple syrup. Add a slice or two of lemon or a few sprigs of mint, and you've just unleashed your inner Martha Stewart: simply extravagant.

Static Media owns and operates The Daily Meal and Tasting Table