IT’S WARMING UP OUTSIDE AND A NICE PITCHER OFÂ REFRESHING ICED TEA IS A FAVORITE BEVERAGE FOR EVERYONE
One of my go-to drinks, that always feels so good going down, is Southern sweet tea. This recipe can be easily customized to suit your individual tastes. Just combine your favorite lemonade and iced tea recipes, drop in some berries, and lemon, orange or lime slices, and serve over ice. Turn this warm weather cooler into a cocktail by adding bourbon or spiced dark rum. The addition of baking soda (sounds weird, but it’s not) smooths any bitterness of the tea, and clears up any cloudiness.Traditional Southern Sweet Tea. Makes 2 liters.
Ingredients
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
8 cups hot water
4 family size black tea bags (or equivalent individual tea bags) (Lipton and Luizanne are common brands formulated for iced tea brewing)
1 cup water (for simple syrup)
2-3 cups sugar (add more or less to taste)
Method
Add the baking soda and just-boiled hot water to a heat-proof pitcher. Steep your tea bags for about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the simple syrup by combining the water and sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Remove the tea bags from your pitcher. Chill thoroughly before adding additional ingredients and serving.
