We've all had that feeling. That unpleasant, sinking realization that some inconvenient bug has gotten hold of us and now we're looking at a week of common illness. You know the old saying, "Starve a fever, feed a cold," but who feels like cooking when that dreaded cold actually shows up? Luckily, there are a few foods that can help ease the malady but don't take that much time and effort to make. The best part? They can all be made ahead of time when you're feeling your best. Today's recipe is one of my favorites. Let's get into it.
Sweet Tea
Tea is a healthy beverage on its own, even when it's not being used as a warm, soothing agent in natural medicine. But I think it can be taken to another level entirely by being made into that true southern delight, Sweet Tea. I grew up in Ohio, so I was always a couple states away from the real South. I had plenty of family in Georgia and Florida, so trips to the other side of the Mason-Dixon line were frequent for my family. When we hit central Tennessee, there was only one thing on my mind: Sweet Tea. There's more to Sweet Tea than just a bag of leaf and a packet of sugar. No, sir. True Sweet Tea is made with simple syrup.
Start with 2 cups of water. Make sure the water starts cold in a pot then add three large bags of tea (whichever brand you like), the kind that are marketed as "family size" that usually make a full pitcher of tea. Bring the water to a boil. When it hits the boiling point, remove the pot from the heat altogether. Let that tea steep for about 15 minutes. When it's done, put it in a pitcher and fill the rest with water.
As for the syrup, use two parts sugar for every one part of water. Just bring the water to a boil and dissolve the sugar while the water is still on the heat. Once the sugar has dissolved, remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool. Simply bottle the syrup and add it to taste with your tea. This works better than adding straight sugar to the tea because the granules won't dissolve completely. Simple syrup can last in the bottle for a couple months at least, just as long as you let it boil and not just caramelize.
If you want to make it really authentic, here's a little secret to bring the sweet in your Sweet Tea to a new level. After you bring your tea-steeping water to a boil but before you add the bags, throw in a pinch of baking soda. This will do two things. First, it will naturally darken the tea so it will have that distinct Sweet Tea hue. More importantly, the baking soda will eliminate some of the bitterness that goes along with the natural flavor of tea. This opens the door for an extra balancing ingredient at the end.
With your baking soda-augmented Sweet Tea ready to serve, a squirt of lemon juice will give some extra character to the drink, replacing the bitterness that would otherwise be there with a refreshing tang. On sick days, that lemon can have a soothing power for sore throats.
Sweet Tea is good warm or on ice, in any season and during any period of ill or good health. It's easy enough to make that you won't strain yourself, plus you'll get the added benefit of some steam while you're boiling the water.
Enjoy and feel better, readers!