| Sweet tea (4) | Thursday, Jun 15, 2006 3:05 pm |
When Shara mentioned her sweet tea recipe, it got me thinking. Man, I love sweet tea. I don't know what it is about the stuff. It's just iced tea with a bunch of sugar. But there's just something so inherently good about it. Maybe it's because it's a regional thing. You can't get sweet tea in the northeast, so it's a bit of a novelty for me. Maybe it's the fact that "sweet tea" and "iced tea" are two completely different things (I believe "iced tea" is equivalent to Nestea or another similar instant disappointment). Maybe it's the fact that a sugary, icy drink on a blazing hot southern summer day just absolutely hits the spot. Whatever it is, I love sweet tea. And every time I visit the south, I order it unashamedly and often.
Shara was looking for a sun tea recipe. Our family favorite is to put approx. 1 gallon of water with 7 tea bags out in the sun until it is dark enough for you, usually a couple of hours. You don't want to leave it out all day in hot sun though or it will taste funny. This is obviously unsweetened, you can add sugar to taste, but it's much more refreshing ice cold and unsweetened on a hot day.
My dad and brother drink this year round. In the winter you can put the tea bags in the coffee pot and make a full pot of coffe (10-12 cups). Then, dump that in your gallon jug and add enough water to fill it. It has a slightly different flavor but not enough to matter. They use the big glass jugs that you'll see out in the stores during the summer, my brother will tell you that the glass jug makes a difference (instead of plastic).
Thanks! I've been meaning to get one of those glass jugs, perhaps Target has them...or Crate and Barrel. My boyfriend would agree with your brother that the glass jug makes a difference, so it's not just him! I'll have to try it this weekend since it's going to be in the 90s here!
Thanks again!
You can't get sweet tea in the northeast ? haha
I'm in Maine, and at this very moment, have sun tea on my window sill :P
Also, while I was in Boothbay Harbor visiting my son, the resturant that we go to had sweet tea in huge glass jugs in the sun brewing for the next wave of customers.
I learned to make it from my grandmother who also was born, raised, and died in Maine.
God bless her sweet soul!
Tara's comment on a different post mentioned that sun tea can be pretty bad for you. The bacteria alcaligenes viscolactis breeds in warm (but not boiling) water, and it can make you pretty sick.