As most of y'all know I am from Georgia. I am from the deep, deep south Georgia.
So far south that growing up I only lived a mile from the GA/FL line.
In my part of the state we drink Sweet Tea better know as "Sugar Water"
As a child, I remember having sweet tea for everything. I mean everything. There wasn't a day that went by that mama didn't have a pitcher of sweet tea in the Refrigerator. I remember hauling it to the field to my daddy for lunch, and we still do that.
At our home recently I put my family on a "Sweet Tea Strike". When the 11 month old baby was drinking it in a sippy cup I knew it was time!! Okay don't judge me..... it could be a lot worst and that wasn't all she was drinking. She had water and milk.
I was making up to 2 pitchers a day and the girls were drinking it non stop. So, for about 2 weeks we went with out sweet tea. The first day we were having the shakes. The girls cried for days begging for me to make it. I even sought to buying some of the fake stuff at our local grocery store and hiding it from the girls for me to have a drink. I caught them at my mom's house getting it out of her fridge when I wasn't looking!
I believe this addition was worst than any coke addition. It was really sad!
I know some of you who have never had it are thinking we are crazy but I promise you once you have it you are hooked! Needless to say we are back on sweet tea, but I don't make it nearly as much. It is more of a reward in our home than a necessity.
When we did our state to state journey we learned real quick that after you pass the Mississippi state line there is no more sweet tea. In Arkansas and in Texas they serve Tea but they give you the packets to sweeten it yourself and it is NOT the same!!!
And everywhere we have moved, everybody wants some of our tea. It is not a complicated recipe, it is actually quite simple. But it is the best thing you have ever put in your mouth. Here are a few rules to follow when making this tea. Hope you enjoy this as much as we have over the years.
Rules of South GA Sweet Tea
by: Dia
1) Always, Always call it "Sweet Tea" it is not just any "Tea" it is "Sweet Tea"
2) You have to have a tea pot better know as just a small pot. My Grandmother has had this same old pot she has used for years to boil her tea in. The thing is a hideous lime green and yellow and has a stained up rim of tea but it works the best!
3) REAL SUGAR!! Don't every try to supplement this one.
Start by boiling some water. I don't measure this one just fill the pot up.
This was my helper this morning.
My little Sweet tea lover!
When the water starts boiling, add your tea bags.
Now this part is tricky...
I use the small Lipton tea bags.. I think they are like a 100 to the box. The tricky part is buying this little guys. The Lipton boxes don't explain very well what is in each one. I have bought the wrong tea bags numerous of times.
So, good Luck with this part.....
Now add the 4 tea bags to the boiling water. Let the water turn brown with the bags (like 30 seconds)
and remove the pot from the stove
Don't boil it very long because it boils over easy and it will burst the tea bags.
There is nothing no worst than busted tea bags in a pitcher of Sweet Tea
Now cover with a lid or a plate as I did. Don't know why I use a plate??
Guess because my Mama has done it for years so I guess we need to ask her.
Maybe because it looks better???
Not sure how long I leave the tea to sit??
It really depends on my schedule. The longer the better (15 min or so)
But if I have kids screaming for more.. it is shorter.
Take a pitcher
We call this the "tea pitcher"
Basically because that is all we use it for
Sugar
THE REAL DEAL!!
Add 2 cups of sugar to your empty tea pitcher.
This is where the "Sweet" comes from in "Sweet Tea"
Pour all your tea on top of your sugar
Making sure not to let the tea bags fall out of the pot
Take a spoon and mash the juice out of the bags and pour over the sugar again. Run water over the bags and try not to mash too hard because again you don't want to burst a bag!!
Then fill the tea pitcher full of water and mix the sugar in.
Fill a cup up with ice and pour that Sweet Tea in and watch that ice melt!
Add a lemon if you like!
Now if this Sweet Tea is too sweet for your likin cut it with water.
Yes just like a mix drink! My Dad takes his sweet tea and fills the glass half full then fills the rest full with water. He says it is just way too sweet! But to my girls... the sweeter the better!
Enjoy!
