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Sweet tea can be a thing of beauty. There’s nothing better than a glass of sweet tea on the rocks. On a hot day, or not so hot day for that matter, enjoy a glass of sweet tea.
The best sweet tea is made with loose leaf tea and I prefer to get mine from the Indian market. The Indian market has all sorts of different kinds of tea. What you are looking for is black tea or orange pekoe which is a form of black tea.
Boil about 1 quart of water. When it comes to a rolling boil you will turn it off and put one-fourth of a cup of loose leaf tea into the hot water. Set a kitchen timer for four minutes and leave it.
While the tea is steeping in the hot water, and not boiling, put about 2 cups of water in another pot and start heating it up. In this small pot you will put your sugar in and as a base one cup of sugar will do it. You can put up to 2 cups of sugar in a gallon of sweet tea but it will be pretty sweet and syrup-like. 1 1/4 cups are about perfect if you like your tea sweet.
Once the sugar has completely melted and the edges are starting to boil turn off the heat and put the sugar syrup into a gallon jug of your choosing. Add cold water about halfway up the container and wait for the tea to finish steeping.
Once the tea has steeped for four minutes you will use a funnel and a coffee strainer and pour the tea into your container that you have previously put your sugar syrup into. Do not squeeze the water from the tea at all whatsoever. In fact, it is best if you leave the last little bit mixed in with the grounds and throw it away. Squeezing the grounds or trying to get all of the tea out of the grounds make your tea bitter.
Now all you have to do is top off your container to a gallon and you’re done. Try not to agitate the tea so that it makes foam as this I believe makes it slightly bitter.
Some people believe that fresh tea is the best while others believe that aged is better. As tea ages, it becomes thicker and more syrup-like. Regardless pour it over a cup filled with ice and enjoy. Refrigerate the remainder of the tea and do not let it sit out overnight or it will spoil.
Sweet tea is easy to make and delicious. You can garnish it with a slice of lemon.
