Sweet Tea Is Practically a Food Group
In the South, sweet tea isn’t just a drink, it’s a birthright. It’s served at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. The ratio of sugar to tea would make some Northerners’ teeth ache, but to Southerners, anything less isn’t real sweet tea. It’s brewed strong, sweetened while hot, and chilled until ice-cold. Restaurants automatically serve sweet unless you specify otherwise. Outsiders are often shocked to learn that “unsweet tea” has to be specially requested, and may come with a side of side-eye. In some homes, sweet tea is made in gallon jugs and stored like milk. It’s that essential.