Sweet tea is one of the most delicious drinks a person can enjoy on a hot summer day. Sitting in the shade on your porch with a big glass of sweet tea is incredibly satisfying, if you haven't tried it before you really must; here's a recipe.
It's interesting to note the history of sweet tea. First off, sweet tea is not iced tea. It has much more sugar, ice, and tea. Sweet tea was created down in the South at some point in the 1800s. At the time, ice was one of the most expensive items around, as was sugar and black tea leaves. So rich southerner's combined these three pricey items to create sweet tea. It was a way to show off how wealthy you were. Sugar, ice, and tea are now cheap, so anyone can afford this delicious drink.
Ingredients:
- 6 tea bags (black tea such as English breakfast)
- 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda
- 2 cups of boiling water
- 1-2 cups of sugar
- 6 cups of cold water
- Ice
- Lemon wedges
Steps:
- Place the 6 teabags in a large glass container (a large pyrex measuring cup or a pitcher works well)
- Put 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda in the container with the tea bags (it prevents the tea from getting too bitter)
- Boil 2 cups of water and pour it over the teabags. Cover and let it brew for 15 minutes or so.
- After 15 minutes, remove the tea bags. Do not squeeze them.
- Pour the tea into a pitcher that will hold at least 8 cups of water (a two quart pitcher works well)
- Add 1-2 cups of sugar. It will be very sweet, so start with less and add as you want more. Stir until it's mostly dissolved
- Pour in 6 cups of cool water.
- Put it in the fridge to chill. Serve with ice and a lemon wedge.
Leave a pitcher of sweet tea in the fridge for whenever it's hot out and you need a refreshment.
