My chica called me up one Sunday afternoon and said: ” How do you make sweet tea?” I laughed and said “girl bye!” and hung up the phone. Come to find out she was dead serious.

 I guess if you aren’t from the south and never had a real glass of southern sweet ice tea then you probably wouldn’t know how to make it, huh? We grew up drinking this stuff with almost every meal.
My great-grandmother use to brew her tea out in the sun and patiently let mother nature do her thang.
Now, while that sounds all lovely and earthy…I need gratification as quickly as possible. I’m going to show you how to make a SWEET, cold glass of southern sweet iced tea quick and easy.
Southern Sweet Ice Tea
Recipe Type: sweet iced tea
Author: Divas Can Cook
Serves: 1 Pitcher
Ingredients
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1/3 teaspoon baking soda (keeps the tea from clouding)
  • 3 Family Size tea bags
  • Cold Water
Instructions
  1. Pour 3 cups of cold water into a microwave-safe bowl.
  2. Add baking soda. (Don’t worry you won’t be able to taste this in your tea. It just keeps the tea nice, smooth and clear and keeps it from having that weird after-taste that tea can sometimes have.)
  3. Now give it a stir just to dissolve the baking soda.
  4. Place the bowl into the microwave and heat for about 15 minutes or until it starts to boil.
  5. Remove the bowl from the microwave. It’s gonna be HOT! Be sure to use a pot holder.
  6. Place tea bags into the hot water and let them seep for 15 minutes. Resist the urge to dip them in and out of the water.
  7. After they are done seeping, lift them out and throw the bags away.
  8. Pour 1 cup of sugar into the bowl
  9. Stir gently until sugar is dissolved.
  10. Pour tea mixture into a 1-gallon pitcher.
  11. Pour in remaining sugar and stir.
  12. Now fill the pitcher all the way to the top with really cold water, stir as it fills.
  13. Place pitcher in the fridge to chill or if you have to have some now, fill a cup with ice cubes, pour and enjoy! I like to place it in the freezer so that it gets a lil slushy, but not frozen. Love it!

 

Tips* There are TONS of different flavors of tea out there. I like Peach and Raspberry. Also, try adding some lemon slices to add some zing to it! If you can’t handle the sweetest, just pour a little out and add more water.

Ahhhh…the sweet taste of the south!!