The Healing Elixer - Sweet Tea

Just not feeling yourself? Just feel blah? You need a glass of tea! In my family, we call it "The Healing Elixir."

I took the photo above last week because I knew I was going to write about sweet tea, eventually. You can't live in the South and not have an opinion about it. When my daughter-in-law texted me yesterday, I knew that my next post would be about sweet tea.

Sweet tea is a staple in the South just like grits, cornbread, and being able to insult someone but totally reverse the insult by adding, "...bless their heart." Example: "Mary is as dumb as a stump, bless her heart."

Down here, when you say you want some tea, it is automatically assumed that you mean sweet iced tea. If you want hot tea or unsweetened tea, you must specify. It's just like in Atlanta, if you say you want a drink, you mean a Coca Cola.

My brother has traveled up and down the east coast many times and he knows exactly the last spot to get iced tea on his way up North. It's somewhere in Virginia and that is why "it is questionable as to whether or not they are actually part of The South."

Everybody and their grandma have their "special" way of making tea. A great debate. The amount of sugar is always an issue. Some people like what I call "tea flavored syrup." Some make it so weak it's like drinking plain sugar water. There are also "Tea Makers." I have had one, but the tea never tasted right. Some people make their tea in the microwave - I think the microwaves are too harsh on the tea leaves, it tastes a little bitter to me. Some make their tea in their coffemakers. Sacrilege! You never mix the bean with the leaf! There is also a question as to whether or not you squeeze the tea bags. See? Many, many variables in the making of sweet tea.

Just like everybody else, I have my special way. And since I have had many a sweet tea connoisseur come to my house and compliment my tea, I'll give you my recipe. I have never read a recipe for making sweet tea and out of curiosity I looked on line at some. Oh my Lord! It is so complicated! The one that came closest to mine was The Goddess of Southern Cooking Herself, Paula Deen. She, however, adds one step more than I do and we use different brands of tea and different amounts of sugar.

My Sweet Tea
(for the person who likes the flavor of tea and doesn't want to go into a sugar coma after drinking)
Heat tap water in a saucepan to boiling on the stove.
Remove from heat and wait until the boil stops.
Add 4 family size Lipton tea bags. (Most swear by Luzianne, but I prefer the taste of Lipton)
Let the bags steep for at least 5 minutes, more for stronger tea. But don't let the water cool down totally.(If you let it cool down, then you'll have to dissolve your sugar in hot water to combine it with tea. Sugar won't dissolve in cool liquid and you'll have mountains of sugar at the bottom of your pitcher, gross!)
While the tea is steeping, put 1 1/2 cups of sugar in a gallon pitcher that has a cover. (Paula says 2 cups)
Pour hot tea over sugar in pitcher and stir until sugar has dissolved.
Add cool water to fill the pitcher, stirring to combine with tea/sugar mixture.
Cover and let the tea sit out until it is room temperature.
When it has cooled, cover and put in fridge.
If you don't cover, it will absorb all the nasty odors in the fridge. If you don't refrigerate it, it will spoil quickly. After the tea has been refrigerated, it will be sweeter. So, the next day, you might want to add water to your glass if you don't like it that sweet.

Now, one of the greatest cooks in the world, Rosie Michael, had a secret ingredient: baking soda. She would add just a pinch to her tea and people swear that it made it better. Her grandson, my nephew, Troy, does that and people rave about his sweet tea.

Well, there you go, honey. (another Southern thing: calling everyone honey or sweetie) I hope you enjoy. Please let me know your "special" way of making sweet tea. But let's do promise not to argue - let's appreciate each other's differences. I mean, after all, let's not start another "Silver War" over iced tea! Even though I am sure yours won't be as good as mine, bless your heart!