HAPPY 4th of JULY!

The perfect holiday for the perfect drink here in the South!

Remember in Steel Magnolias when Dolly Parton said of Southern Sweet Tea  “It’s the house wine of the South!” 

Our Southern delight is catching on everywhere.  And for good reason!  Iced tea is known to lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease and I just read recently that it might help to protect against cancer.

Some people swear by the rule that the perfect Southern iced tea starts with Luzianne brand. But to me, good old Lipton’s is best … and usually easier to fine in all supermarkets.    Although Luzianne really is made specifically for iced tea, the choice is up to you.

Here in the South it is normal to visit the neighbors, and you will probably be served Southern Sweet Tea before you even sit down. But for you Northerners, it’s an art to make the best Sweet Tea.

 

SOUTHERN SWEET TEA

First gather everything you’ll need:

1 quart of drinking water

2 Lipton "family size" tea bags (or 4 regular size tea bags)

1-1/2 cup white sugar

3 quarts of ice cubes

2 lemons (optional)

1 gallon jug or pitcher

First, heat the quart of water to a boil.  When the water comes to a boil add your two family size tea bags and COVER the saucepan with lid to steep.  Allow tea to steep for EXACTLY 20 minutes (No more, no less).

Meanwhile, measure 3 quarts of ice.   Pour into gallon jug.

If you plan to put in lemons, slice them.  Put them into the jug and let set while the tea is steeping.

After the 20 Minutes of steeping, take out tea allowing only to drip a bit. DO NOT squeeze the bags. That will cause the tea to have a bitter after taste!

Next, pour in the 1-1/2 cup white sugar.  Stir until sugar is dissolved.  Pour over ice and lemons in the jug and stir well.

Serve over ice immediately.  Yields 1 gallon.

NOTE:  If you plan to make your tea ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until ready to serve, you need to leave out about 1 quart of ice.   Then when you are ready to serve the tea, fill the cups half way with ice and pour tea concentrate over it or add enough ice to pitcher to make a gallon.

DIABETIC SWEET TEA
Here in Ocala, we’re so far South that it has become the North again.  In other Southern States, Southerners were raised on sweet tea. In the Alabama and the Carolinas, if you order iced tea it comes sweet automatically. I'm not sure it's possible to get non-sweet tea in Georgia. But all Southern Sweet Teas have one thing in common – SUGAR!  But what if you’re like me and are diabetic?  Well, it IS possible to make real brewed sweet tea FASTER and NO SUIGAR.

2 Quarts Water

4 Bags Tea Bags – or Substitute two family sized

1 Cup Splenda

1 Glass Ice

Put two cups of water in a microwave bowl or pitcher.  Microwave on High until the water just starts to bubble (about 3-1/2 minutes).                    

Pull the cup out of the microwave and drop the tea bags into the cup. Set a timer for fifteen minutes and walk away. Let the tea steep without any stirring.

After fifteen minutes, remove the teabags and let them drip (Do not squeeze them) and then toss them out.

Immediately stir in the Splenda.  It should dissolve almost instantly.

Pour the dark, sweetened, tea into a two quart pitcher. Fill the pitcher with water. DO NOT add ice. Put the pitcher in the refrigerator to cool or serve immediately over ice.

IMPORTANT: Never, ever, add ice to the sweet tea until serving. Ice will dilute the tea. Adding sweetener while the tea is still hot allows for it to fully dissolve.  Splenda is the only artificial sweetener that works as well in this recipe.

Here’s some tips for making tea:

1. For perfect tea always start with fresh filtered cool water - never tap water!

2. Cloudiness is often caused by putting hot or still warm tea directly into a cold refrigerator.

3. A pinch of baking soda (only 1/8 teaspoon) can be added to the hot, steeped tea after you remove the bags. It will not affect the taste of your tea, and protects against bitterness.

4. Store your Southern Sweet Tea in a glass pitcher.

5. If you prefer your sweetened tea more on the sweet side, you'll probably want to go with 1-1/2 cups of sugar.

6. Substitute artificial sweetener per glass if you don't want to use sugar.