Southern Sweet Tea

Drinking sweet tea is one of the oldest and most exceptional of Southern traditions. As Dolly Parton's character in Steel Magnolias puts it, it's the "house wine of the South." The South reveres its traditions, and sweet tea is one of them. As an April Fools' Day prank in 2003, Georgia State Rep. John Noel introduced a bill that would have made it a misdemeanor for a restaurant owner not to include sweet tea on the menu.

Southern Sweet Tea Recipe

For Simple Syrup:
* 4 cups sugar
* 2 cups water

For Tea:
* 4 cups water
* 8-10 regular-sized or 3 "family sized" bags orange pekoe Lipton tea (I prefer loose tea)
* Pinch of baking soda (if preferred; I never add the soda)
* Additional water

Pour 2 cups of water and 4 cups of sugar into a saucepan and stir together. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and stir until thickened. Turn off heat, and set aside.

Remove tags from the tea bags, and tie strings to the handle of a wooden spoon, near the bowl. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Turn off the heat, and place the tea-tied wooden spoon in the pan with a pinch of baking soda (It smooths out the tea's tannins.). Once it's suitably darkened, and still hot, pull out the spoon. (Refrain from squeezing the teabags, as that clouds the tea.)

Stir 1 cup of the sugar syrup into the tea until it's thoroughly blended. Pour the mixture into a 1 gallon glass or metal pitcher, and fill to the top with water. Stir, and chill in the refrigerator. Pour the remaining sugar syrup into a glass jar, and cover.

Once the tea has cooled, serve it in glasses 2/3 filled with ice, with sugar syrup on the side so that guests may sweeten according to their own taste.