sweet tea

 Mr. Sealion is a Georgia boy.  When the weather gets warm, no drink is quite like "sweet tea."  And he's a connoisseur.  So I have experimented with making a tea that is sweetened with more whole sweeteners, such as honey and rapadura.  This summer I have discovered the sweetening power of stevia leaf.  Stevia is an herb (not a sugar!) whose leaves are sweet, and slightly bitter or licorice-tasting when greatly concentrated.  Stevia is sold in dried leaf form ~ similar to any other dried tea, in a concentrated powder, and a concentrated liquid sold with a dropper.  You can find it at most any health/whole foods store.  Brewing the dried leaf in with other tea ingredients makes a sweet product that pleases even the Southern palate.  I find the leaves sweeter and less bitter than the concentrates.     

Here is my basic recipe, and then the variation I just brewed up a minute ago.  Rooibos is nice earthy-sweet brown herbal that resonates and continues the black tea taste without its caffeine.  I buy my tea leaves in bulk from the local health/whole foods store.  That's why my measurements are in tablespoons as opposed to tea bags.    

Basic "Sweet Tea" ~ caffeinated

~for 1 gallon of tea ~ 

3 rounded T organic black tea leaves

2 rounded T organic rooibos 

scant (loose and fluffy) 1/4 cup stevia leaves

Bring water to a boil, add teas and brew, simmering, for 5 minutes.  Turn off the heat and brew for another 5 minutes.  Pour into tempered glass container and add filtered water to equal a good strength for your taste.  Serve cold and/or over ice.  

Rooibos Blend "Sweet Tea" ~ still caffeinated, but not as much

2 T organic rooibos

1 T organic black tea

1 T organic yerba mate'

1 T organic peppermint (dried ~ use more if fresh)

scant (loose and fluffy) 1/4 cup stevia leaves

Bring water almost to a boil (yerba mate' doesn't like boiling water), add teas and brew on low heat for 5 minutes.  Brew for 5-15 more minutes, depending on your taste preferences.  Pour into tempered glass container and add filtered water to equal a good strength.  Serve cold and/or over ice.  

I emphasize organic (as usual).  Black teas that aren't labeled organic have pesticides sprayed on them that are harmful to tea-workers and concentrated in the drying.  Black tea, rooibos, and yerba mate' are all imported to the US from other countries.  I like to make sure those that I buy are also Fair Trade Certified, so that the workers get respect and compensation for their efforts.