I have a bumper sticker on my back glass that says, “Southern Girls like Sweet Tea and Sunshine” and that my friends is the truth! I have a small ( ok maybe not small) addiction to sweet tea. The hubbyman say’s I am a tea snob… maybe. It has to have a strong but not bitter tea taste and it has to be sweet, but not so sweet that is causes diabetes. It has taken me 20 years, ( yes 20 ) to get it just right… so I’m gonna share my how to with y’all!

4 Luzianne™ Family Size Tea Bags

12 cups good water ( we live in the country and out water isn’t so great, so I buy water by the gallon…sigh)

1 1/3 cup Domino™ sugar

Juice of half a lemon ( reserved )

the main characters ( important for the flavor)

My little friends.

Okay, here ya go….. easy peasy.

In a sauce pot add five cups of cold water and add the tea bags to the cold water. On high heat bring almost to a boil ( while steeping the bags a few time) remove from heat as soon as the foam starts to appear, do not let it go to a rapid boil.

remove from heat and steep a few time and allow to sit for 7 minutes ( I set a timer)

add the sugar to the warm tea and stir until dissolved completely.

add the warm tea to a glass pitcher ( the glass helps with the flavor too, I just don’t care for the plastic)

add the remaining 7 cups of water and chill one hour.

the nest part is optional.. but after an hour I add the juice from the lemon ( sometimes, depends on the day)

NOTE: It’s important to add the lemon to the cold tea, it almost tastes sour ( and not in a good way) if added to the hot tea.

Now pour a glass and go sit on your porch!