Sweet Tea

History: According to a Miami Herald article, iced tea was invented by an Indian tea merchant who couldn't sell his hot beverage at the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair.

Plug: Tell your local fast food restaurants you would like sweet tea. Almost every restaurant in the South (not including the peninsula of Florida) does.

The picture at right appeared in The Greenville News, 24 June 1998.

How-to:
Start with a Pyrex, 4-cup measuring cup. Fill it with cold tap water up to the 4-cup line. Place the water in the microwave and heat at high for 8 to 10 minutes. It doesn't have to boil, but if you experiment, go with a time about 1 minute less than what it takes to boil the water. [I've found that Pyrex measuring cups have a better pour spout that dribbles less than others -- still, pouring slowly at first may be necessary to avoid the dribbles]

While the water is heating up, take a semi-transparent 1-gallon milk or o.j. jug (emptied and rinsed) and pour in 1 to 1 and 1/2 cups of sugar (that's four to six 1/4 c. measures, like the Tang scoop). A funnel helps with this. [not being able to see undisolved sugar in the bottom is why I avoid the new opaque plastic jugs]

Pull the tabs off of 8 Luzianne (or Lipton) tea bags and tie the strings together with an overhand knot. [I used to use Lipton, but after moving south where it was stocked in greater quantities at grocery stores and I gave it a try, I prefer Luzianne] [2 family size bags will work in place of 8 smaller ones -- they're cheaper considering what they'll make]

When the water is done, place the tea bags in the water. Don't worry if they don't immediately submerge -- they will in time. Leave them in for 3 to 5 minutes. Now if you're concerned that your tea might not come out dark enough, then you might swish the tea bags around a bit to make water move through them. Don't squeeze the tea bags -- this will make your tea bitter.

Next, pour the hot tea into the milk jug. Fill the jug the rest of the way with cold tap water. Put the top on and with your thumb on the lid (in case it's one of those pop-on types) twist the jug back and forth to stir up the sugar. Twisting is easier than shaking. Then put the jug in the refrigerator to chill the tea.

Serve over a little ice, in a glass or 32 oz. plastic cup (like the old sturdy kind from Hardee's or McDonalds). [plastic insulates better]