Spicy-Ritz-Crackers1.jpg' alt='7 Ritz Cracker Challenge Load' title='7 Ritz Cracker Challenge Load' />How to Make Perfect Southern Sweet Iced Tea. I enjoy a nice cup of hot tea pretty regularly, but iced tea is pretty much a year round staple here in the south probably mostly because its so darned hot down here most all of the year. Besides, tea unlike soft drinks is loaded with benefits. Tea contains high levels of antioxidants polyphenols, flavonoids, and catechins that help to boost the bodys defenses against diseases. Some studies have shown that tea may also lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and protect against heart disease and may help to protect against cancer. Just like seasoning recipes to taste, you definitely should adjust to your own sweetness level with sweetened iced tea. Some folks like it real sweet, some not quite so sweet and you can certainly exchange sugar for an appropriate sugar substitute, even making the tea completely unsweetened, and adding it per glass. I used to use a cup of sugar for this recipe, then I switched to making my tea completely unsweetened and using a sugar substitute by the glass, but then I stopped using artificial sweeteners completely, then I went back to them, or I flip flop between a steviasugar blend, monk fruit or agave Ive pretty much tried most all of them. Harvey Richie Rich Millions Comics. When I went back to using regular granulated sugar, I found a cup to be too sweet for me. Eventually I reduced that cup of sugar to 34 cup, then 23 cup and now I find about 12 cup of sugar for the whole pitcher works pretty good for me. In restaurants I always find sweet tea generally far too sweet for me, so I order it half and half half sweet, mixed with half unsweetened, and during the summer I go through so much tea that I now make a full gallon of a diet sweet tea. Sweetening aside, one thing is for certain. I believe that the perfect iced tea starts with Luzianne brand. Period. Now. I dont say that because Im trying to impress the folks at Luzianne who have no idea who I am, or because Im trying to make myself look more Southern by using Luzianne. I use it because, in my opinion, it is the tea for Southern iced tea whether its sugared up or made with sugar substitute. Not that other brands dont make a good pitcher of tea. Mama used Lipton and its a perfectly fine tea. Its just that for what I consider to be the perfect Southern iced tea, I truly believe you need to use Luzianne. Yahoo Lifestyle is your source for style, beauty, and wellness, including health, inspiring stories, and the latest fashion trends. Free shipping or free sameday store pickup, plus free and easy returns. Save 5 every day with your Target REDcard. I am so excited to tell you all about Mac and Cheese Mania My bud Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny and I have been planning this events for months partly to celebrate our blog. Wasted money on unreliable and slow multihosters LinkSnappy is the only multihost that works. Download from ALL Filehosts as a premium user at incredibly fast speedsFinding a restaurant, even in the Deep South, that served sweet tea was a challenge there for awhile. Restaurants jumped on the bandwagon of removing sugar from their tea and tried to pass off unsweetened tea to all of their patrons, offering sugar packets at the table. Well, everybody knows that just doesnt work. Warm tea is what you need to dissolve sugar and iced tea just needs to be cold. Not warm. Not at room temperature. But chilled cold and served over ice and for me, with lemon. So, thankfully, they have finally gotten back to offering sweet tea again, and unsweetened for those folks who prefer not to have the sugar. High-Impact-Cross-Screen_0017_SS-Ritz.jpg' alt='7 Ritz Cracker Challenge Load' title='7 Ritz Cracker Challenge Load' />The following group of items must be purchased in a group of 4 total MIX AND MATCH. International Delight One Touch Latte 12 oz. Kraft Cracker. How to make perfect southern sweet iced tea. The perfect recipe starts with Luzianne brand tea bags. Washington Post Event Calendar. Toggle navigation. View All Categories Locations. Its true, a lot of folks, myself included, sweeten with sugar substitutes these days, but still. Sweet. Tea Tips 1. For perfect tea always start with fresh filtered cool water never tap water Cloudiness is often caused by putting hot or still warm tea directly into a cold refrigerator. FzdfFu63DWc/hqdefault.jpg' alt='7 Ritz Cracker Challenge Load' title='7 Ritz Cracker Challenge Load' />My method prevents this since you are pouring your steeped tea directly over ice cubes. Bitterness in tea is caused by overcooking and burning the tea leaves that is why it is important not to boil the teabags and not to steep them too long in boiling water. Download Dmg Canvas Rapidshare there. To counter, a pinch of baking soda only about 18 of a teaspoon can be added to the hot, steeped tea after you remove the bags. It will not affect the taste of your tea, and provides insurance against bitterness. Use wooden spoons to squeeze your tea bags, a glass container like a large Pyrex measuring cup to steep your tea, and store it in a glass pitcher if at all possible. I break this rule myself at times though, especially with my Milos copycat diet iced tea. And I do love my Tervis cups. If you prefer your sweetened tea more on the sweet side, increase the sugar. Some folks like as much as 1 12 cups of sugar, but start lower and increase for the next pitcher. Of course, substitute artificial sweetener by the pitcher or per glass if you dont want to use sugar. I use the granulated Splenda in the large bag, about 34ths cup is enough for me. If you like lemon in your tea, try making ice cubes out of lemonade to use in the individual glasses. As they melt, they will infuse the tea with lemon flavor Susan of our Facebook FamilyRecipe How to Make Perfect Southern Sweet Iced TeaFrom the Kitchen of Deep South Dish Prep time 1. Cook time 1. 0 min Yield About 8 servings. Ingredients 5 to 7 individual tea bags, Luzianne brand preferred1 quart of cool filtered or bottled water. Pinch of baking soda, optional. Pyrex measuring cup for steeping. Fresh lemon, sliced or wedges, and some mint sprigs, optional. Instructions Boil one quart of cool filtered or bottled water, bringing to a full, rolling boil then turn off heat. Steep tea bags in the hot water for 9 minutes. Gently squeeze bags of excess water and remove. Whisk in sugar and baking soda if using until dissolved and set aside. Fill pitcher with ice, and carefully pour the hot tea concentrate over the ice. Stir well and pour over ice filled glasses, garnishing with a sprig of mint leaves and a nice juicy slice of lemon. Savor. Makes 2 quarts. Cooks Notes For a milder tea, use 5 bags for a more robust tea, go with 7. Increase sugar as needed to your sweetness level. Never pour hot tea directly into a glass pitcher without ice in it To conserve your ice and use the tea per glass, fill the 12 gallon pitcher with 1 12 quarts of water instead of ice, and top with the steeped tea. Source http deepsouthdish. Deep South Dish Are you on Facebook If you havent already, come and join the partyWe have a lot of fun theres always room for one more at the table. Check These Recipes Out Too Yall Marys Diet Sweet Tea Milos CopycatMarys Mint Infused Sweet Southern Tea. Speedy Strawberry Lemonade. The Perfect Root Beer Float. Posted by Mary on November 1. Images and Full Post Content including Recipe Deep South Dish. Recipes are offered for your own personal use only and while pinning and sharing links is welcomed and encouraged, please do not copy and paste post or recipe text to repost or republish elsewhere such as other Facebook pages, blogs, websites, or forums, or any print medium, without explicit prior permission. All rights reserved. Material Disclosure Unless otherwise noted, you should assume that post links to the providers of goods and services mentioned, establish an affiliate relationship andor other material connection and that I may be compensated when you purchase from a provider. 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