Comments on: Confessions of a Tea-Drinking Southern Belle

By: CurtissAnn

CurtissAnn — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:24:00 +0000

Carolyn- what a delightful tale! Who knew there were so many tea journeys out there? Hugs, CA

Sent from my iPhone

By: Carolyn Rock

Carolyn Rock — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 17:40:32 +0000

Born and raised in the crossroads of the West, Northern Utah, I came into trouble from all sides about the beverages. Since my dad was an only child, it was the much older beloved great-aunts and great-uncles, only one step removed from Denmark and Sweden, with their rich coffee traditions, whose homes along with my Grandpa’s, always welcomed us with the lovely aromas of coffee. We children were not allowed to sample, as I will explain later. Mom’s mother had a quite a bit of Irish, so from her my mother inherited the insistence that lightly sweetened warm green tea was the cure for every ill, with a slice of dry lightly toasted white bread. Later, in California, I learned the Scots and English teas and ways of preparing, and actually learned to put cream in tea! I learned Chinese delicate teas with no sweeteners. In France, the heavy strong coffees captivated me, and I liked it black. Now all this would be fine, except for one thing—I am a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and we do not drink tea or coffee. Given my liking for both by the time I reached my late teens, along with a strong desire to live my religion, I definitely had a dilemma. Not to fear, I discovered 100% herbal teas. I like these both warm and as ice tea, sometimes sweetened, sometimes not. I even have a lovely ‘recipe’ for Southern Sweet Tea, courtesy of the daughter. I also found barley drinks that can be served warm, and have an interesting flavor, and the brown color. So I am okay on both counts now. When I want a cuppa, I have choices that are within my religion and my tastes.

By: Sierra Donovan

Sierra Donovan — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 02:52:27 +0000

I was raised in Southern California, which isn’t very … er, Southern. I grew up with both hot and iceD tea. But I didn’t have my first sweet tea until a Southern-style restaurant opened up in town about seven years ago!

I may be late to the party, but I know a good thing when I taste it.

(I also tried peanuts in my Coke around that time and I really liked it … but boy, what a way to pack on the pounds!)

By: Maxie Simmons

Maxie Simmons — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 22:31:44 +0000

I was raised in the North, and married a man from Oklahoma and spent the next 25 years living in that state or in Texas. I quickly imbraced Ice Tea, but having never drank hot tea with sugar in it, I preferred the iced unsweetened, too. When I visited Hubby’s family and new friends, they offered tea, I would ask if it was sweetened and they would reply, “Only a little,” probably meaning they didn’t put the full cup of sugar in it. That is like saying someone is only a little pregnant. My in-laws loved me, however, and they soon began making both sweetened and unsweetened tea at family gatherings and I was never forced to drink tea with sugar in it. I drink my tea mostly hot these days, and still without sugar.

By: nola @ alamonorth

nola @ alamonorth — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:12:42 +0000

Until I was in my 20′s, I’d just ask for “tea” (not ice, iced, or cold) in restaurants, and they would bring me a large glass of tea over ice, usually with tons of sugar. In my 20′s I ventured “up north” and ordered “tea” in a restaurant, only to have the waitress look at me strangely and ask “hot or cold?” I’m sure I looked back at her with an equally strange look and replied “cold”. I’d never been asked to make that choice before.
Years have passed, now I drink both hot and cold tea. And I now know to specify “sweet” or “unsweet”, too!