Over 5,000 years ago, Shen Nung, the second emperor of China, was rumored to have discovered tea as a beverage when a single tealeaf blew into a steaming cup of water.
For a time, tea was preferred strictly as a hot beverage (some Englishmen still find iced tea to be an abomination!). However, in the middle of July during a Georgia heat wave, the last thing one wants to drink is hot tea. Pouring it over ice is the only solution.
In Kentucky, as well as most of the South, iced tea is the beverage of choice. In fact, it's a daily ritual (or an hourly one.)
Though some may see it merely as a beverage, iced tea (sweet or unsweetened) is one of the cornerstones of Southern cuisine. Full of healthful antioxidants, iced tea can be enjoyed morning, noon, evening, with dinner, or for no reason at all.
There are many ways to prepare iced tea. Some prefer sitting it outside to brew in the hot summer sun (when weather permits), while others heat water to the brink of boiling and allowing the tea to gently simmer.
Recipes vary from region to region, but the basic formula remains the same. Here’s a simple sweet iced tea recipe:
Sweet Iced Tea
Ingredients:
- 6 bags of Lipton or Tetley Tea
- 1 quart of boiling water
- 1/2 cup of sugar (to taste)
- Bring 4 cups of water to a boil, remove from heat. Pour into a pitcher and add tea bags, allowing them to steep.
- Let the tea bags sit longer for a stronger brew.
- Remove the bags, add sugar and stir. Chill for at least two hours. The longer, the better. Serve on the rocks in a tall glass with an optional slice of lemon.
Peach Iced Tea
- 3 12 oz. cans of peach juice
- 2 quarts of tea
- 1 cup of sugar
- ¼ cup of lemon juice (optional)
- Prepare tea as in above recipe, adding the peach juice and lemon juice to the final product.
- Chill, garnish with a peach slice or sprig of mint, serve and enjoy!
Aleashia Walton - I have a bachelor's degree in Journalism and have been writing and editing professionally for over seven years.
