Why Not Sweet Tea!!

      


             So obviously, I really like a freshly made glass of sweet iced tea. The funny thing is, living on the west coast, no one makes a good glass of tea. Much less a sweet tea. Sure McDonald's started serving it here and we do have a Chick-Fil-A near us now. Neither make a good glass of fresh tea. Yes, sometimes it is still hot from brewing but, it tastes like the bottom of a burned coffee pot. You know when you get coffee from the bottom of the pot and especially if someone left it on too long. It tastes cloudy and burned. Same with Tea.
             You would think that when I go out to a restaurant, I would order tea. NO. I hate it out. It tastes like dirty water at best and like dirty dish water at worst. And if you don't sweeten it with an artificial sweetener, your not going to get it sweet because every southerner knows, you can't dissolve sugar in iced tea. You put the sugar in while the tea is hot.
             Why the rant? I have been meeting a couple of ladies at a Starbuck's for a meeting every Monday night for about 5 weeks now. Do you know they have NOTHING worth drinking there unless you drink Coffee? Seriously. Their iced tea is yucky and then they try to fluff it up with juice in it. Really? And their hot tea is terrible. Really, I have tasted Vegetarian dishes that were better. And I'm talking about the ones with that white congealed stuff that squishes when you bite into it.
               I went to Peet's one time thinking they would do better. Peet's is the conservative of the coffee houses around here. You know they don't play the weird music and their cups are actually called, small, medium and large. They at least sell good hot tea. (Jasmine Downey pearls, super good and healthy too). And you could make good iced tea from there selection. A good English Breakfast would work. But, again the iced tea they make in the store tastes like... thick. Not full bodied mind you. Thick. Like you could chew it. Also, a bit like a dirty pot was used. And the juice thing in the tea... What is the point! Drink a glass of juice or lime-ade for goodness sakes. That isn't TEA!!! You don't have to be a 2 year old to order a glass of lemonade. It is O.K. to order that.
               Then you order water in a restaurant and they serve you tap water. O.K. I'm in a restaurant that I am actually looking down at the menu and not talking to someone in a goofy hat, can't you open a bottle of water! We all know water is the best thing to drink. So why do the waiters always give me a nasty look? I will pay for the bottled water. Why the attitude about water? I went to a brunch with some moms. The waiter  approached us as we were standing and talking and asked if we would like something to drink? (this was a flat price brunch. Tip included.) He eagerly brought the mimosas and coffee. My water? I got snubbed. "If you'd like water, there is some on the table. You can get it yourself."
              I would love to get my favorite drink out and about. I would love to splurge and get a sweet tea at a drive through or a tea shop while I'm out. Instead, I get a hankering for some tea and I have to head home and make it myself. No splurging there. Well, think of the money I'm saving.
               O.K. I'm done with my midnight rant that will matter to no one except myself.

Sharing my love one glass of tea at a time.

Tea=Love

            My family has kid's small group at church once a week. The whole family is involved. We each are either in a class learning or working as a teacher. Except little girl who is basically a mascot. Well, I have a dear friend that is so precious to me and I try to do little things to make her day. Send her a sweet text, a fun e-mail card or a glass of sweet tea whenever I come by the church and she is working. She works a lot. And the tea just makes her happy (see why we are friends?!). Tonight I had a big cup left from a drink I got at a fast food place. I washed it and filled it with crushed ice and lots of tea. She was thrilled to get it. This is a long day for her. We all know tea is a great pick me up.
              Well, I guess I am not so popular with other staffers now. Word got out that I brought her homemade sweet tea and it got a little ugly (not really ugly ). One lady asked my friend for a "sip" then didn't want to give the cup back. Another staffer says, "Well, you know where I am from. Where is mine?" I didn't know he was from Texas. Dude, you don't have a drawl and you were flip flops. Everyday. How am I supposed to know. I am truly sorry I have excluded so many. I think it made my friend a little giddy that she was in possession of something so truly sought after and it meant someone loved her. (We all understand that food = love. In this case Tea = love).
              My dear friends and co-leaders of Kid's Small Group, I will be bringing a gallon jug next week. Do you think one will be enough? I don't want anyone to feel unloved so, I will make that small gesture.
              Who can you show a little love to and share a glass of sweet tea? You will be surprised how it will make people smile.

When Husbands Aren't Funny.... O.K. It Was Funny.

            I love my husband, he is a funny man. He lightens most situations and can make me laugh often. Really, it is one of the biggest reasons I married him. However, as you know when you are with someone funny, there are times you don't see the humor... until later.  Today is one of those days.
           After church today we were going to take care of two things I really enjoy. Going to Target (THE Happiest place on earth) and buy the substance that makes my "liquid gold", Loose Leaf Lipton Tea. I informed my dear husband that we had to drive an extra 10 minutes to the great big Target. He wasn't too excited but, it is the only place that I can find my beloved Lipton loose leaf tea. No one else here seems to carry it.

            When we got there we split up kids. He takes the boys and I take Girlie. I have the list, he browses. The store is remodeling and when I get to the grocery section to find the tea.... There was no loose leaf tea box. Not even a space on the shelf for it to go. I am very anxious. I am seriously irritated and frustrated. I made my dear husband drive further to go to this Target because of the tea. I set off to find the rest of the items on my list. This is where funny husband starts to make me grouchy. Yes, I see the humor now but, at the time it was like a gnat buzzing in your ear.
              He starts to text me on my phone. (This Target is so big that we have been known to loose each other in here before. So we always bring our phones). Here are the texts as they came in. I was looking to fill my list mind you and I had girlie who was getting very grabby of things on the shelves.

Him text: Where r u

Him: Where r u

Him: Where r u
(I wasn't ignoring him. My phone was on quiet still from church).

Him: Help Me! Target is draining the life blood from my soul. The lights are making me have hallucinations.
(this is a lie in case you are worried).

Him: Call the national guard! Send reinforcements- I went to my mega church and now am lost in Satan's lair---mega Target... It is full of sin and lies of the world.

Me: What kind of razor blades do u want?

Him: I need to engage my GPS on my phone to find a way out of this place!

Him: Oh my Lord! I can c the sun! I am going towards the light of day! Run Kids! Follow me to the light!

Me: What kind of blades do you want?

Him: Help! Read prior text!

Me: Come around to Health and Beauty. Please!

Him: Set off yellow smoke bomb to mark location!

Him: Set off yellow smoke bomb to mark location!

Him: Set off yellow smoke bomb to mark location!!

Him: My heart is racing as we approach the check out. I can already smell plastic of my debit card melting as we pass it thru the  "Finemaster's" machine!
( I asked what is the Finemaster? he said it is the cashier. He makes us pay a Fine for all of the sin we bought. ???)

Him: Help us oh God as we try to find comfort in the material things of this world. We know that happiness cannot be found at Target!
(I beg to differ  on that one. I buy loose leaf tea there. At least I have in the past!)

Him: (this gets adolescent now sorry) I think the check out guy is looking @ your boobs! I'm gonna smack him right in the nose. Punky Target Guy!

Then we sent my oldest back to get a new can of tomato sauce because the one I had was dented. And I also threw a package of paper towels at to my husband (to make him stop texting) to put in his cart.

Him: Tomato paste!?  Incoming- Duck! Paper towels! Help me Yaway!
Then I sent him out to the car with the cart because Girlie started yelling she had to pee. (really it was BIG potty which is delightful in public restrooms.

Him: Thank God we made it back outside alive!

Him: Love U!

O.K. yes, I see the humor now but, all I could think at the time is where am I going to go and find my tea. And, why doesn't he stop playing with his phone and come get his blades??

            So, living with a funny husband and a jovial guy is great most of the time. But, no I don't always see the humor until later when I can look at it from afar.
Kind of funny when I got to the car with Girlie, I asked him what the deal was with his texting today. He said he didn't know. Maybe I could blog it later. (He was being funny.)

          Sad thing that happened later. Son number 2 asked if he could have a sip of my tea while I was doing dishes. I said, "No. Please leave it alone. I want to drink it when I'm done with everything." I turned around the last of my tea in my glass ( I think I can make 2 more pitchers with what I have left), was gone. My husband drank it. He said he didn't think I would drink it. I was a little peeved. All evening.. O.K. until I sat down and read all of the texts. I give in, it was a funny yet sad ending to my not finding my tea.

This is my favorite cup to drink my tea in.

                                                      
  

Sweet Tea is My Daily Fuel. Is That a Problem?

My recipe for sweet tea is the same as everyone else's, I suppose. I have a couple of quirks that I like. but, would you really expect anything else from me? I always have my own way of doing things.

First the recipe. Plain and simple.

Sweet Tea
2 TBL loose leaf tea
3/4 Cup Sugar
about a 1/2 gallon of water (8 cups)
Lots of ice.

Boil the water in your tea kettle just to boiling. Don't let it whistle a long time. You will boil all of the air out of it. Then it will taste... flat.  Pour boiling water over the tea and let steep for 5 minutes. This  is key to getting the right flavor. After 5 minutes pour into your pitcher over the sugar so the hot water dissolves the sugar. Now I read a couple days ago that you should put in the cold water over the sugar first so that the hot water doesn't make the sugar bitter. I tried it this morning. Not sure if it makes a difference. I will have to try it and also get my dear husbands opinion before I let you know. The water will be warm enough still to make the sugar dissolve. Stir and let sit a minute or so to let all of the sugar dissolve or it will stay on the bottom of the pitcher. 

Fill the pitcher the rest of the way with cold water.   Done.

Now the quirks. Loose leaf tea is better because they use the leaf not the stems and twigs. The flavor is less bitter. There are lots of brands on the market. Here in California there are not many to choose from. In fact the Lipton that I use, I have to drive 30 minutes to the only Target that carries loose leaf tea.  I'm sure I could order a different brand but, I'm o.k. with this until they stop carrying this. There are fancy teas. Teavana is a store in our mall here. There is a wall of all different kinds of teas from all over the world. Just like coffee, that is fun for something different but, if you pay 12.00 and ounce are you really going to enjoy it regularly or just as a special something. I am not really excited to think about how I would react if the kids spill a little on the floor when they try to help in the kitchen. To me that kills the relaxation part of sipping a glass of tea.

I also like the organic sugar from Trader Joe's better then the regular white sugar. I don't really know why it tastes a little different but it is less likely to go bitter in the hot tea.  Really any sugar will do.
Some people like their coffee just a certain way. Others will drink any old black cup of joe. I am that way with my tea. I'm not crazy about it out. I really like it at home the best.

This is the o ld fashioned way to brew tea and a great way still. Just a little messy.  You would put the tea in the bottom of the bowl pour the water in (about 2 cups worth. Eyeball it.) Then use a strainer to pour it into the pitcher. You don't want to chew your tea. This works well. I always end up pouring in too much water and I need to get a potholder because the bowl gets hot. Why use a metal bowl. I can't remember. But, I think there is a reason. Something about the chemical reaction with the tea??? Maybe someone else knows.

Teavana brewer. 

This is my wonderful tea brewer. I love it and totally recommend using one. If you don't have a teavana, you can order it online .
Teavana Tea-diffuser
It is a little pricey. But, they do have sales and you can balance it out with the fact that your tea only costs a couple of bucks for weeks worth.
The diffuser keeps the tea in the top and you set the whole brewer on top of your pitcher and it pours out only the brewed hot tea. Leaving the wet leaves in the top. No straining. Even the kids can and do put it on the pitcher and I don't worry too much about burns this way.
Either way makes a great tea.

Here is the brewer on the pitcher. It fits nicely and then there is no worry about spilling, or getting leaves in the pitcher.

O.K. I make things more complicated sometimes. But, if there is a way to do something and it makes my life better or easier, I'm going to share it. I love this silly gadget. It makes my tea life easier. My boys can actually make tea. I watch them pour the boiling water into the brewer. That is it. Less mess. Less fuss.

This is the end result. Icey cold tea. The lemonade is for my husband. He loves Arnold Palmers. That is half lemonade and half tea. Sorry, he is born and raised in California. The cups I will tell about another day but, for now I think we are all tired of talking about making tea. Let's go drink one. Enjoy.