A glass of sweet tea

Sweet tea is a form of iced tea in which sugar or some other form of sweetener is added to the hot water before brewing, while brewing the tea, or post-brewing, but before the beverage is chilled and served. For other meanings see Iced tea (disambiguation Ice tea, also known as iced tea, is a form of cold Tea, often served in a glass Sugar is a class of edible Crystalline substances mainly Sucrose, Lactose, and Fructose. Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Brewing is the production of Alcoholic beverage and Alcohol fuel through fermentation. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market This especially sweet variation of tea enjoys most of its popularity in the Southern United States, though bottled iced teas labeled "Southern Style" or "Extra-sweet Southern Style" appear in refrigerated cases throughout the country. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive

Sweet tea and the American South

Sweet tea has long been a staple beverage in the American South. A drink, or beverage, is a Liquid specifically prepared for Human consumption It is almost universally made with black tea, sweetened with large amounts of cane sugar, and served over ice. Black tea is a variety of Tea that is more oxidized than the Oolong, green, and white varieties Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae Ice is a Solid phase, usually crystalline, of a Non-metalic substance that is liquid or gas at Room temperature, such as Ammonia Most restaurants in the region, including fast-food and other national chains, offer the customer a choice of sweet tea or unsweetened iced tea. A restaurant is a retail establishment that serves prepared Food to Customers. Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly It is a signature drink of the region, to the point where the Southern use of the word "tea" is largely used to refer specifically to cold, sweet tea and not to hot or unsweetened varieties. Its widespread use is probably due to its light taste, ease of preparation, and low cost.

An important part of the tradition of sweet tea in the South is the fact that it can be made in large quantities, easily several gallons, quickly and inexpensively. It is usually consumed daily as a staple soft drink. Because it is relatively cheap, some restaurants place a pitcher of sweet tea on the table for the entire dinner party to share, and keep refilling it for free. Even when served in individual glasses, sweet tea refills are sometimes provided free. While home cooks usually use tea bags to steep the tea, restaurants often make large quantities of sweet tea using large drip brew machines similar to those used for coffee.

Sweet tea elsewhere

While iced tea is usually served sweetened throughout the Southern United States, in the rest of the United States iced tea is usually served unsweetened. The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive The United States of America —commonly referred to as the It is moderately common to add a small amount of sweetener to the already cold tea. Much bottled and canned tea is sold, usually sweetened with a natural sweetener such as cane sugar or high fructose corn syrup or with an artificial sweetener. Sugarcane ( Saccharum) is a genus of 6 to 37 species (depending on taxonomic interpretation of tall perennial grasses (family Poaceae tribe Andropogoneae High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS is any of a group of Corn syrups that has undergone Enzymatic processing to increase its Fructose content and is then mixed

In the mid-2000's, McDonald's Restaurants began a major marketing campaign for sweet tea, making it available throughout the U. S. and selling it for approximately two-thirds the price of the chain's other large-size cold beverage offerings. The sweet tea caloric information is not available on the popularly distributed nutrition info sheet. According to the company's website, McDonald's sweet tea has 230 calories.

Although sweet tea (as a moderately watered, sugar pre-added, iced drink) is stereotypically a South-Eastern United States tradition, it is common in many cultures to add sweeteners to their tea.

History

The oldest known recipe for sweet ice tea was published in 1879 in a community cookbook called Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree. Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A cookbook is a Book that contains information on Cooking, and/or a list of Recipes It may also contain information on ingredient origin freshness This recipe calls for green tea. A recipe is a set of instructions that show how to prepare or make something especially a culinary dish. Green tea is a type of Tea made solely with the leaves of Camellia sinensis, that has undergone minimal Oxidation during processing In fact, most sweet tea consumed during this period was green tea. However, 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 produces black tea. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The United States of America —commonly referred to as the India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country Black tea is a variety of Tea that is more oxidized than the Oolong, green, and white varieties Americans came out of the war drinking preponderantly black tea.

See also

• Cuisine of the Southern United States
• Iced tea
• Tata Tea
• Lipton
• Luzianne
• Red Diamond
• Tea
• United States Regional Cuisine

References

• History of Iced Tea and Sweet Tea
• Housekeeping in Old Virginia by Marion Cabell Tyree. See also List of foods of the Southern United States The Cuisine of the Southern United States is defined as the regional culinary form of states For other meanings see Iced tea (disambiguation Ice tea, also known as iced tea, is a form of cold Tea, often served in a glass Tata Tea Limited, also known as Tata-Tetley, is the world's second largest manufacturer and distributor of Tea. Lipton is one of the world's best-known and best-selling brands of both hot leaf and ready-to-drink Tea. Luzianne (a regional pronunciation of " Louisiana " is the brand name for a line of Southern beverages and packaged goods most famously Luzianne Iced Red Diamond Inc is a coffee tea and food service company headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama. Tea refers to the cured agricultural product of the leaves leaf buds and internodes of Camellia sinensis, which have been prepared and cured for the market The cuisine of the United States is a style of food preparation derived from the United States. ISBN 1-4101-0508-3
• A Slate article on sweet tea