The view from the swing…blue sky!
Does this picture put you in the mood to relax, maybe swing…sleep in a hammock and drink some Lemonade or maybe some Southern Sweet Tea? Well…I promised my recipe for some ‘Sweet Tea’. I just learned how to make this. Another one of those things that makes one say…now why didn’t I know how to do that already? Well…I didn’t live in the South! In the Southwest we make ‘Sun Tea’. What else would it be called in the desert?
Making ‘Southern Sweet Tea’ really is simple. The process just makes it so delicious!
I used a combination of black tea and herbal spearmint tea.
Traditional ‘Southern Sweet Tea’ is made with black tea.
I quite like my own version, using black and mint tea. It reminds me of the tea
that my Grandma Alice made from the fresh mint in her garden.
Here is the recipe for Southern Sweet Tea…Vee Style
You will need a 64 oz.Ā heat-proof glass container or pitcher
4 bags black tea (I used three Lipton tea bags and one Tazo black tea bag)
2 bags mint tea (I used Tazo Spearmint Lemongrass…that I LOVE)
3/4 cup sugar
a pinch of baking soda (which I guess to be 1/8 teaspoon)
A note about the baking soda…it helps cut the bitterness from the tannins in the tea and also helps keep the tea from getting cloudy.
2 cups boiling water
6 cups cold water
Sprinkle the baking soda into the bottom of the container.
Pour the 2 cups boiling water into the container and then add the tea bags (I cut the strings off of the bags).
Cover and allow to steep for 15 minutes.
Remove the tea bags.
note:Ā Lift the tea bags out of the water with a slotted spoon…then use the spoon to drain the bag over the pitcher.
Add sugar. When the sugar has dissolved completely…add the 6 cups cold water.
Mix well, refrigerate…and enjoy!
That’s it! And…it is so good!
I’m sure you could use all herbal tea, any flavor, as well.
I hope you’ll try it!
My Family and Friends in the Southwest should definitely give it a try!
Pull up a swing…sip some Sweet Tea…
maybe go on over and ask Miss Bell for some of her Sweet Tea!
Just click the link to hear the song by…
Billy Currington…Good Directions
May your day be blessed with tea and cookies!
Vee
Home And The Range 
I meant to make mint tea this week but forgot about the mint in the fridge….turned all brown š¦
LikeLike
Ah yes…fresh mint can get away from your intentions pretty quickly! I use tea bags for the mint….love the Tazo mint tea which is what I used in the Sweet Tea recipe. I hope you get to your tea. Thanks for stopping by. š
LikeLike
Thanks for the tip about using the baking soda to help cut the bitterness that is sometimes present in iced tea. I am definitely going to give it a try!
LikeLike
Excellent! I love coming across these new tips and happy to share! Thanks so much for stopping by. š
LikeLike
great shots!
LikeLike
Thank you Sania! They certainly are not the quality of a professional such as yourself…and pleased that you like them. š
LikeLike
I also was surprised about the baking powder. I never would have guessed that it might be an ingredient in Sweet Tea. Next time I make tea, I’m going to try this recipe.
LikeLike
Hi Sheryl…you will love it! And…be sure to use a total of 6 tea bags! I just noticed that I hadn’t properly saved the correction to 3 Lipton bags…not two, and the additional Tazo black tea (so sorry, it’s fixed now)! It is two mint tea bags. The addition of the mint really is refreshiing…better than just a mint sprig. You don’t taste the baking soda at all. Let me know if you like it. I wonder if your Grandma liked tea. š
LikeLike
I’m from the South, and I’ve never heard of putting baking soda in tea. I’m going to try it.
LikeLike
Hi Mandy…it really does work. Now you’ll have a little secret to share here in the South…well…that and the thing with your bumper! š So glad you stopped by!
LikeLike
I come from the land of a cup and a half of sugar in the tea. I’ve almost given up sweet tea completely because it’s too sweet. Yours sounds great. I’ll try it exactly how you suggest. Can’t wait!
LikeLike
Hi Mandy! Yes…I think a cup and a half of sugar would be a tad sweet. Just 3/4 cup is sweet…but good! I think you’ll love it…let me know.
I hope your day is ‘sweet’. š
LikeLike