To celebrate National Sweet Tea Day on August 21st, we took a closer look at a beloved beverage in all of its myriad forms. We studied the history of tea cultivation in the United States; we experimented with new flavors; and we even dared to ask: Does it have to be sweet?
1.) Sweet or unsweet?
"Any self-respecting Southerner orders sweet tea," says Isle of Palms resident Susan Burns. "It’s almost a badge of courage."
Recipes for sweet tea vary, but black tea and sugar are must-haves. "Growing up, my mother boiled water in one of those cute blue-and-white Corning Ware pitchers," Burns remembers. After steeping five tea bags in the hot water and filling glasses to the rim with ice, the younger family members had the pleasure of sweetening the tea to taste. "All us kids would add at least a fourth of a cup of white granulated sugar to our glasses. Our sugar bowl was enormous."
Fond childhood memories involving sweet tea are common in the region, says bestselling author and chronicler of Lowcountry culture Mary Alice Monroe: "Everyone has a recipe from their grandmothers." Like Burns, Monroe agrees that asking for "unsweet" tea, as it's commonly known in the South, won't win a person any popularity points. "That's usually met with an eye roll," says Monroe. "Although a lot of us now are going for unsweet because of the calories or sugar."
The verdict: Drink it sweet if you want a true taste of the South, but we'll give you a pass to order unsweet tea if you bring a doctor's note.
2.) Green or black?
All tea comes from the leaves of the same plant, Camellia sinensis. Although unique varietals of the tea plant have been developed in different regions of the world, the primary difference between green, black, oolong, and white teas is how the leaves are processed. Immediately after harvest, green tea leaves are heated, which halts the process of oxidation and preserves the green color. Black tea, on the other hand, is laid out to dry slowly, allowing for longer exposure to oxygen. Tea processing can be multi-phased and complex, with each step leading to a specific result.
Today, black tea dominates the market in the South, but the first known printed recipe for sweet tea actually used green tea as its base. Featured in the cookbook Housekeeping in Old Virginia in 1879, Marion Cabell Tyree's recipe calls for two teaspoons of green tea to be added to one quart of boiling water. After preparing the green brew, Tyree tells her readers to wait until tea time to "fill the goblets with ice, put two teaspoonfuls (sic) granulated sugar in each, and pour the tea over the ice and sugar." She finishes her sweet green tea with a squeeze of lemon.
The verdict: Expand your palate and take a drink of history by experimenting with green tea. Just remember to keep your pantry stocked with black tea for a reliable crowd pleaser.
3.) Local or imported?
Camellia sinensis is native to Asia; historically most of the world's tea was imported from places like China and India. Today, however, tea operations can be found all over the globe -- even right here in South Carolina.
"We use Charleston Tea Garden tea, which is the only [large-scale] tea producer in America right now," says Brian Richards, beverage director at Wild Dunes on Isle of Palms. "The tea company is local to South Carolina, and it provides tours and education as well."
Located on Wadmalaw Island, the Charleston Tea Garden features Camellia sinesis bushes with historic roots. The tea plants were first cultivated in 1888 by Dr. Charles Shepard in Summerville, South Carolina (which is one reason the city calls itself The Official Birthplace of Sweet Tea). After Shepard's death in 1915, the untended plants grew wild until they were transplanted to a 127-acre farm on Wadmalaw Island in 1963. The island was a center for tea research until 1987, when William Barclay Hall transformed the farm into a commercial operation dedicated to producing and selling American-made tea products. Hall partnered with the Bigelow family in 2003, securing the farm's financial security. Today, visitors can walk the grounds, tour the factory, and taste the tea free of charge. A trolley ride is $15 for adults.
If the idea of locally produced tea isn't tempting enough, the Charleston Tea Garden's commitment to environmental preservation might sway eco-conscious consumers. The farm doesn't use pesticides, it irrigates plants using only rain and pond water, and it reduces waste by using the leftover stems and fibers from the processing factory to make organic mulch.
The verdict: There's no need to throw out perfectly good imported tea if you've already purchased it, but try a visit to your local farm the next time you need to stock up. It's a great way to support the regional economy and enjoy a fun family-friendly outing.
4.) Lemons or lemonade?
"We had fresh lemon in a small bowl placed on the table," says Burns. For many tea drinkers, the lemon is a must-have that adds brightness and zest. Tybee's 1879 iced tea recipe claims "a squeeze of lemon will make this delicious and healthful, as it will correct the astringent tendency."
And if life gives you a whole heap of lemons? Well, you know what they say.
Sometimes called "half and half," a mixture of lemonade and iced tea is more commonly known as an Arnold Palmer, named after the golf pro who popularized the beverage. "On our Links Golf Course, we sell more of that than soda," says Richards. At Huey's, the Wild Dunes golf course's restaurant and bar, "two of the most popular drinks requested are the Arnold Palmer and the John Daly." The Daly, a nod to a golfer who preferred his drinks with a kick, is the Palmer plus alcohol. But we'll get to that soon.
The verdict: Place a pitcher of iced tea and a pitcher of lemonade side by side on the serving table and let your guests mix their own perfect combination. Keep reserves of each on hand if one or the other runs low.
5.) Spiked or unspiked?
Turns out, tea and booze are old friends. "Indeed, Americans were drinking iced tea in the form of alcohol-drenched punches at least as far back as the Colonial era," reports Tove Danovich in NPR's Tea Tuesdays series. But there's always room for new iterations of old classics, and South Carolina is just the place to launch an inspired collaboration.
"The idea [of sweet tea vodka] was just obvious," says Scott Newitt, co-founder of Firefly Distillery. "The only tea farm in America was five miles away from our original distillery." (That's the Charleston Tea Garden on Wadmalaw Island, but of course you knew that.)
Along with co-founder Jim Irvin, Newitt created a sweet-tea-infused spirit in 2008. "Nobody had ever made a sweet-tea vodka before," says Newitt. "We were copied by 15 or 20 competitors. [But] we're the only ones who use real tea and cane sugar."
"It took off like wildfire," says Newitt. "We went from just South Carolina to all 50 states in 9 months." The brand didn't rely on high-powered ad campaigns. "It was all distributors' word of mouth," says Newitt. "Just a people connection."
As the operation has moved and expanded, the distillery has become a destination for its community. Firefly features live music every Saturday. With the addition of food trucks and 16 acres of land, the place regularly entertains hundreds of people.
But let's get back to the most important question: How should we drink it?
"My favorite way is with crushed ice -- Sonic ice that you can buy by the bag," explains Newitt. "Pour 3 ounces of Sweet Tea Vodka over ice, let it sit, maybe 30 seconds, then splash a little water on it. Add a twist of lemon -- not too much -- just enough to cut the sweetness with the acid."
"It's good on a hot day," he says.
The verdict: Keep a bottle of this Southern original in your liquor cabinet so you'll always be prepared for a toast with friends at the end of a warm summer day.
GATLEYWILLIAMS
6.) Drink it or cook it?
"We brine our pork chops with sweet tea," says Annalisa Muti, assistant general manager at Slightly North of Broad in Charleston. "It adds a lot of moisture to the pork chops." Using leftover sweet tea and spices to brine their meat allows the restaurant to minimize waste -- and it produces a delicious result.
Newitt from Firefly Distillery agrees that sweet tea pairs well with meat. "Sweet and pork go well together," he says. The distillery's Sweet Tea Vodka is commonly used in sauces, especially homemade barbecue sauce. Newitt likes to utilize the flagship product to take ribs to the next level. It makes the meat “just a little bit sweeter," he explains. "The sugar from the Sweet Tea Vodka helps put that crust on it." His personal method involves heating indirectly for 1.5 to 2 hours, grilling for another 1.5 to 2 hours, and during the last 30 minutes, basting the ribs with barbeque sauce. "Paint it three times," he says.
The verdict: Both! In the South, tea makes everything sweeter.
GATLEYWILLIAMS
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Readers: How do you take your tea? Send us your comments and recipes.
