Welcome to our series sharing Food Holidays: August 21st, 2021. Take a look at the Holiday being celebrated today and let me know if you would like to celebrate this Holiday or not.
For me I must be because I have my glass of Milo’s Sweet Tea sitting next to my Water Bottle as I work this afternoon. What is your go to drink when working and why?
As a child I remember visiting my moms parents opening the Ice Box and finding a picture of Lipton’s Sweet Tea ready to be poured anytime of the year.
As I grew up Tea always was a Staple but not only did we have Sweet Tea on hand but Un-sweet Tea which was my dad’s choice. Now, if you visit me you used to always find a picture of Sweet Tea in the Ice Box and the Sweeter the better.
But not now I purchase Milo’s Sweet Tea. I’m proud to say I’m down to one glass a day and that sometimes is to Sweet for me. Which wouldn’t have happened in the past.
With my Diet I’ve even been busying Zero Calorie Sweet Tea which in the past you wouldn’t have seen me even try. Or for that matter David or Charlie but as we get older our taste change and that is what is happening with me.
Sweet tea is a type of Iced Tea commonly consumed in the Southern United States. In the South, it’s not Summer without Sweet Tea and that is true in Fort Worth, Texas.
Did you know the difference between Iced Tea and Sweet Tea is that a large amount of Sugar or Simple Syrup is added to Black Tea while the Tea is brewing or still hot.
Sweet Tea may be made less sweet, it’s more than likely to be sweet or super sweet with a Sugar level which is twice that of Coca-Cola. Did you know that sometimes a pinch of Baking Soda is added to neutralize the Tannins in the Tea, giving it a smoother taste. The Tea is mostly served as is, or with Lemon. However, there are flavored varieties of Sweet Tea which I don’t like. But Charlie and David do especially Peach Tea for David and Lemon for Charlie. How about you and why?
Did you know Sweet Tea was originally made from Green Tea which was the variety of Tea most commonly consumed. It was also a punch mixed booze such as Rum, Brandy, Champagne (or all three) and Fruit flavorings and/or Cream. Examples are Regent’s Punch, St. Cecilia Punch, and Chatham Artillery Punch.
The oldest known recipe for Sweet Iced Tea was published in 1879 in a community cookbook called Housekeeping in Old Virginia by Marion Cabell Tyree.
Here is how Marion Cabell Tyree made Iced Tea
Ice Tea. – After scalding the Teapot, put into it one quart of boiling water and two teaspoonfuls Green Tea. If wanted for supper, do this at breakfast. At dinner time, strain, without stirring, through a Tea Strainer into a pitcher.
Let the Tea stand till Tea time and pour into decanters, leaving the sediment in the bottom of the pitcher. Fill the goblets with ice, put two teaspoonfuls granulated Sugar in each, and pour the Tea over the Ice and Sugar. A squeeze of Lemon will make this Tea delicious and healthful, as it will correct the astringent tendency.
During World War II, the major sources of Green Tea were cut off from the United States, leaving them with Tea almost exclusively from British-controlled India, which produced Black Tea.
The earliest version of Sweet Tea using Black Tea is from Mrs. Lincoln’s Boston Cook Book: What to Do and What Not to Do in Cooking in 1884 by Mrs. D. A. (Mary) Lincoln, director of the Boston Cooking School.
Peachy Sweet Tea
6 Black Tea bags, tied together
3/4 to 1 cup Granulated Sugar
8 cups Water, divided
1-1/4 cup chopped Peaches (fresh or frozen, thawed)
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 or 2 Peaches, thinly sliced
Ice
In a saucepan, bring Sugar and 2 cups of Water to a boil over high heat. Turn off the heat and add Tea bags, dunk to saturate with Water, then let steep 20 minutes.
Meanwhile in a Blender, puree chopped Peaches with Lemon Juice until liquefied. Strain. Add the Peach liquid to a pitcher. Remove the Tea bags from the Tea, and pour liquid into the pitcher. Add remaining 6 cups of Water. Refrigerate until cold. Add Peach slices to Tea. Serve over Ice.
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5 facts about Tea:
- Many say Iced Tea was ‘invented’ at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair where Ice was added to Hot Tea to cool down the visitors.
- Thomas Sullivan ‘accidentally’ invented the Teabag when he sent out Tea samples in small silk pouches to customers in 1904. The pouches proved much less messy than raw Tea Leaves. The rest is history.
- Tea is believed to have arrived in Europe thanks to a Portuguese Jesuit Priest named Jasper de Cruz after visiting China in 1590.
- Did you know drinking Tea helps boost the Immune system due to its Natural Antibacterial Properties.
- Tea can also help regulate Cholesterol.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
