Sweet Tea, Sweet Tea... We All Scream for Sweet Tea

My family came up for a visit last month... the first time meeting the new little one. A tradition we have started when Dad & Johnnie visit is hosting a Southern Sunday Brunch. And this visit was no exception. I just love it. When you are 8,000 miles away from family and home there is nothing better than food to help savor those memories.  And what could be better than Southern food. 

Ummm hello can we say biscuits and gravy. 

Oh no it gets better... fried okra, pork chops, black beans, and collard greens. 

Yes it gets even better... sweet southern iced tea. Oh baby a tall glass of heaven on ice. When I first left the south I was shocked that places in the world don't serve real sweet tea. But for some bizarre reason they think they do.

Me: "Do you have iced tea?"

Waitress wearing flannel and Sorrels: "Sure do."

Me: "Is it sweet tea?"

Waitress with baffled, dazed, and confused look: "Ummm... sure."

Me: "Great... I will take the biggest glass you have!"

Few minutes later I am presented with tarry looking liquid with two sweet n low perched alongside. Or worse yet a glass of "liquid-powder-rasberry-peachy-nestle-chrystlelight-ish-should-of-stayed-in-powder-form-I think-my-name-is-tea" tea.

Everyone deserves a real glass of Southern Sweet Tea. You need to brew it perfectly and spoon in the real sugar. Oh I am sorry did I say spoon... I meant to say dump in cupfuls of the real sugar. And just when you can feel your waistline expanding and your cavities screaming... you dump in one more cup for good measure. Then you sit back in your lawn chair and take a long sip from your canning jar glass of iced tea. That's right - the only real way to drink sweet tea is from a jar. And in that one sip a rush of memories flood your senses... sun tea sitting on the back patio brewing the natural way, the smell of orange blossoms, and sand spurs sticking in your bare feet. I guess its a lot more than just a few bags of tea leaves and sugar - its pretty much your authentic childhood poured into a jar. 

Thanks to my family for bringing a little bit of the south to the last frontier.

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