Sparkling Pomegranate Tea

In a small saucepan bring water just to boiling. Remove from the heat. Add the tea bags or loose-leaf tea. Cover and let steep for 4 minutes. Remove the tea bags (if using), squeezing out any excess liquid, or strain out the loose-leaf tea and discard. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Pour tea into a 2-cup glass measure. Cover and chill about 1 hour or until well chilled.

Add the pomegranate juice to the tea and stir to combine. To serve, pour tea mixture into four tall glasses half-filled with ice. Add sparkling water and stir lightly to mix. If desired, garnish drinks with kumquat slices, orange wedges, fresh cranberries, and/or pomegranate seeds.