sweetea.

'Tis not Sweet Tea. It is sweetea.

One should pronounce it as one word.

Earlier today I walked into Thoreau, NM's general store.
Nickname: BJ's.
Official name: BJ's Kountry Store.

I saw a little plastic bottle of Lipton's tea called "Sweet Tea." My heart jumped into my stomach and I felt like doing a tiny dance, but wisely chose not too. I just adore sweet tea. It is the best thing in the universe. If I was Oprah, it would be at the top of my "Favorite Things" list every single year. I purchased the "Sweet Tea" and carried my prize to the car. I couldn't wait to open the bottle and try it out. I twisted the plastic top off, tipped the ambrosia to my lips, and then wanted to just shrivel up and die.

No bottled "Sweet Tea" has EVER tasted like the real thing. And yet, in my naivete, I have repeatedly tried any new brand in the vain hope it would actually be sweetea.

As a wee young girl, I worked in many a Southern eating establishment. Here, and at home, I learned the proper way in which to make sweetea.

You brew some of this:

And while it is still piping hot, you add a LOT of this:

You mix it up and basically continue adding sugar until the mixture can hold no more.

Pour in one of these:

And pour over a glass of these:


If you are feeling VERY sassy, spontaneous, and CRAZY, you can add:

Or a wee sprig of:

As the weather warms, I encourage you to make and enjoy some sweetea for yourself.
Front porch, rocking chairs, porch swings, and gossiping are optional.






PS. let me know if you would like a recipe with more, say, measurements.