Basic Southern Style Iced Tea Food

SOUTHERN SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• In a large glass measuring cup, place the tea bags and add the baking soda.
• Pour the boiling water over the tea bags.
• Cover and steep for 15 minutes.
• Take out the tea bags and do not squeeze them.
• Pour the tea mixture into a 2-quart pitcher; add the sugar.
• Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Add in the cold water.
• Let cool; chill in the refrigerator and serve over ice.

SOUTHERN ICED TEA

Steps:

• Place tea bags in a 2 quart glass pitcher.
• Pour one quart boiling water over tea bags.
• Let this steep for five minutes.
• Remove tea bags from water, and press tea bags gently against the side of the container with the back of a wooden spoon.
• Remove tea bags from container and discard.
• Stir in one cup sugar.
• Add the remaining one quart of water.
• Stir, cool to room temperature.
• Serve over ice.
• If desired, garnish with lemon wedge.
• Note: You may store any leftovers in the refrigerator, but the tea will turn a bit cloudy.
• (This does not affect the taste).
• If you want to take the haziness out of the tea, you may stir in 1/4 cup boiling water per quart of iced tea just before serving.

SOUTHERN SWEETENED ICED TEA

Steps:

• Fill a 2 qt pitcher (that's pitcha in the South) about halfway up with ice.
• Clip the clothespin onto the side of the pitcher and"hang" the tea bags through it (keeps the paper from getting in the tea and makes the bags easier to retrieve- you don't want to be seen with your hand in the pitcher here in the South).
• Pour the sugar or Splenda on top of the ice cubes and now fill the pitcher up with water.
• Let sit about an hour, pull out tea bags and serve.

REFRESHING SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Heat a full cup of water in the microwave until boiling hot. I use a large measuring cup.
• Submerge tea bags in water and let steep 3 minutes or until water gets dark.
• Pour dark water into pitcher. Refill cup with hot water from the faucet and let steep for 2 minutes.
• Add sugar to pitcher. Stir until dissolved.
• Add hot water from cup and than fill the rest of the pitcher with hot water from the sink. Stir and Refrigirate.
• Enjoy!
• I refill my cup and let steep 4 times, but it depends on how dark you like your tea. If you are in a rush, 1 steep will do.

SOUTHERN STYLE SWEET ICED TEA

Steps:

• Boil about 8 cups water.
• Add 3 family (large) size tea bags and steep for 3-5 minutes. You can also use 8 small regular sized tea bags.
• Mix concentrated hot tea with 1 3/4 cup sugar and stir well in tea pitcher.
• Add cold water until pitcher is full and stir to combine.
• Serve over ice with a garnish of lemon or raspberry.
• *Tip pour some in an ice cube tray and freeze. Keep the pitcher cold in the refrigerator and serve with tea ice cubes to prevent your tea from getting watery on a hot day. :).