Southern Living magazine is a publication that's super popular here in the South, and I always make time to look into each issue when it arrives. Somehow, I earned a free two-year subscription not long ago, then a friend who didn't know this gave me a subscription as a gift, so with the freebies and extension, I'm going to be reading this magazine for years to come! And I must be slipping, because I somehow managed to miss a certain teaser line on the front cover of the new issue. Did you spot it?
I always enjoy reading articles about how to make sweet tea. Every tea maker in the South seems to have their own preference for how to make it. If I'm making a pitcherful, I tend to just boil water, pour it over some tea bags (number depends on the size of the pitcher), and steep it for about 5 minutes before letting it chill in the fridge. If it's "company" tea, for Thanksgiving or Christmas, I make it with about a cup or so of sugar per pitcher of tea. (A bit less is fine by me.)
Oh, my, it has been so long since I made a pitcher of sweet tea that I'd almost forgotten how I did it! (These days I make it for myself, usually a glass or two at a time, and sweeten it with Stevia.) But the way I learned from my mother-in-law, 45-ish years ago, was basically like you did it. Pour boiling water over the teabags in my pitcher (about half full), let it steep, take out the teabags out and add the sugar (about a cup) while it's hot. Stir until dissolved, then fill the rest of the way with cold water, and refrigerate. I've never heard of adding baking soda! And I never had problems with cloudiness either. If it sat at room temp for a long time that might happen, I guess - but mine didn't. (This is Joy, aka Anonymous.)
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of adding baking soda to iced tea. While I've never heard the exact phrase you stated above, my Grandma always over steeped her tea because she said you wanted it nice and dark. Once you add water you can't tell it's over steeped. I always keep a picture of sweet tea in the fridge for my husband. These days it's sweetened with Splenda and not sugar.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of the baking soda hint. I haven't had tea turn cloudy...but if I do, I now know what to do! Susan in NC
ReplyDeleteMy "Southern Living" magazine has arrived in the mail, but I haven't had a chance to look at it yet. My mother never made sweet tea when I was growing up, and it's not something that I ever make now. If I have iced tea, I prefer it with no sweetener, although I like my hot tea with sugar. I've never heard of putting baking soda in iced tea to prevent cloudiness--it seems like you can use baking soda for just about everything!
ReplyDeleteI haven't hear of baking soda. I generally make iced tea with a cold brew in the refrigerator and have never had it be cloudy. Now since I am not in the south, no sweeteners are added.
ReplyDeleteOK, that Anonymous is me. Why does this happen just here on your blog lately? Hummm?
DeleteNo idea, Marilyn, but I’m so sorry! (Angela—they sometimes decide I’m anonymous too!)
DeleteWe received our copy and tried baking soda. It works! It removes the “bitterness” and makes for a delicious iced tea. We are hooked!😀
ReplyDelete