Comments on: Sweet Tea: The Elixir Of The South

By: Carol

Carol — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:32:57 +0000

I always put the sugar in with the hot water because it makes the tea sweeter, not bitter. Hot water inverts the sugar (sucrose) to become glucose and fructose, which makes sugar taste sweeter.

By: Lana

Lana — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 01:16:01 +0000

Anita is right, the water here (I’m in Madison, WI) turns the tea black but I found a recipe that called for boiling your water, pouring it over the tea bags in a glass measuring cup or pitcher (not metal!), with 1/4 tsp of baking soda, let steep for 5 minutes then add sugar and cold water. FINALLY I got tea as good as it was down south! Pretty and clear! Also, I find Northerners don’t seem to be able to handle the sweet in their tea nearly as well as southerners can!

By: Anita

Anita — Tue, 27 Dec 2011 00:17:30 +0000

Being from the south myself, I relish my sweet tea and make it similarly. I, however, make 2 gallons almost every day (4 sons & their friends). I like to get my large saucepan filled with water up to a full rolling boil I then turn off the heat and drop in 4 family sized Luzianne tea bags then throw on the lid to allow tea to steep…usually for an hour even more sometimes. I always put 2 cups of sugar in my gallon pitchers pour half the steeped tea into each pitcher stir well and fill with cold water. From there it goes into the fridge and we really prefer it the next day because we like it cold and often we don’t use ice (well, some of us do don’t we honey?). I also never knew anything else was served at any meal other than iced tea. Did I ever get the rude awakening in Wisconsin some years ago when I requested a glass and the waitress told me without a blinking, “it’s not summer?” Even then, it was serve unsweetened…LOL. Thank heavens McDonald’s serves sweet tea now and when we go North, I always have to get my ‘fix’ there. My inlaws only have soft drinks or water in the fridge and their water makes the worst tea of any kind…..LOL.

By: Emily

Emily — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:52:10 +0000

I do that too! I live in nw indiana, originally from chicago burbs. and like kandie below wrote, we call it sun tea.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:14:52 +0000

Oh, I forgot to ask earlier. What are you thoughts on adding a pinch of baking soda to the hot water the tea bags are in? My Mom never did that, but my Granny did.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 22:00:12 +0000

Christy, how long do the tea bags need to steep in the water? Also, I only have family size bags, do you think 2 of those equal about 5 regular size?

By: Qtpies7

Qtpies7 — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 01:41:32 +0000

I put my sugar in the hot water to dissolve and it is never burned or bitter. I love it that way! No sugar granules at all.

By: Becky

Becky — Thu, 22 Sep 2011 16:55:16 +0000

I am the first southerner in my family marry a Yankee (I just couldn’t help thatIfell madly in love!) and was SHOCKED that his whole family drank milk – at every meal!! I now make my own whenever we visit Upstate New York and don’t even have to share!

By: Kandie

Kandie — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 03:41:54 +0000

We call that sun tea in Indiana and we make it every summer once the sun gets hot enough. I love to go into gardens and see containers of sun tea sitting on tables and benches.

By: Virginia

Virginia — Sun, 07 Aug 2011 23:14:48 +0000

I read most of the comments and I did not see a recipe for my version of sweet tea. I fill a gallon size glass jar almost all the way up. Leave a little room for the sugar. Fill the jar with cold water. Add 3 family size tea bags and screw the lid on. Set it out in a safe place in the full sun. Leave it for oh about 4 hours or so give or take an hour. Bring it in, throw away the tea bags and immediately, while tea is still warm, add 1 and 1/2 cups sugar or to taste. Refrigerate. So good. Clear and not bitter. Please try it. BTW I live in East Tennessee. Anyone else make it this way?