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According to a Miami Herald article, iced tea was invented by an Indian tea merchant who couldn't sell his hot beverage at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair. "Iced sweet tea is decidedly Southern," says Joe Simrany, president of The Tea Council. "It's very popular in warm climates and I suspect it's the number one drink in the South." As far as restaurants go, it pretty much follows the grits line--if you can order grits, you can get sweet tea. And it seems the more people charge for fancy food in a restaurant, the less likely you are to get sweet tea for some ungodly reason. And if the sugar isn't stirred in while the tea is still warm, it's might near impossible to dissolve it! |
| We in the South make the best ice tea you'll find anywhere. Maybe it's how it's done (Luzianne is the brand of choice), maybe it's the water down here, or maybe it's just that a Southern Belle has put a lot of TLC into making the tea. Who knows, but here are three fool-proof recipes, all of which are poured over glasses filled with ice and may be garnished with a spring of mint or lemon wedge if desired: |
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3 family-size tea bags
(Luzianne, if possible)
*2 cups water
1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar *Some say they use less water. |
Pour the water in a pot and add the tea bags. Barely bring to a boil, do not continue boiling. Remove from heat and let steep. Pour warm tea into empty 2-quart pitcher. Add the sugar and stir until thoroughly dissolved. Fill pitcher with cold water. Refrigerate. |
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3 family-size tea bags
3 cups water
*pinch baking soda
(about 1/8 teaspoon)
1 to 1-1/3 cups of sugar
(to taste) |
Bring water to a boil. Add baking soda to the water and tea bags. Remove from heat and cover. Allow to sit for at least 10-15 minutes. Pour into 2-quart pitcher and add sugar, stirring to dissolve thoroughly, then fill with cold water. Refrigerate.
*The soda takes out any bitterness and darkens the tea. This small amount doesn’t change the taste. |
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3 family-size tea bags
1 quart water
Glass or translucent container
1 to 1-1/2 cups sugar |
Easy Sun Tea
Put the water and tea bags in the container. Cover, put in the Sun and let sit. In about 30 minutes to an hour you have tea. Add sugar while it's still warm from the sun and stir to dissolve thoroughly. Add cold water to desired strength. Refrigerate.
Sun Tea is great for people who can't cook and this tea will never turn cloudy. |
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