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Sweet Tea


USA Southeast / Indonesia   -   es teh manis (Indonesia)
Makes:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 4 qt
**
1+ hrs
Yes		 An essential beverage in the former Confederate States and also the most popular drink in Indonesia. In our South, it is also used as a marinade, particularly for Chicken. See also Background.

4
4
1
ar
T
c
c

Loose Tea (1)
Water, boiling
Sugar, granulated (2)
Water for 4 quarts  
Make   -   (15 min + cooling time)
  1. Place 4 T Loose Tea in a French Press. If using Tea Bags, just add them to the 4 cups of water after taking it off the heat.
  2. Bring 4 cups Water to a boil, let it cool a for a minute, then pour into the French Press until full. Steeping time is highly variable depending on the strength desired. I use 5 minutes, then press down the plunger and pour back into the pan. For tea bags, 1 minute to 7 minutes, and don't squeeze out the bags (bitterness).
  3. Add Sugar to the pan. Stir now and then until completely dissolved. You can heat the pan if needed, but not to a boil.
  4. Let the Tea cool, then add to cold water to make 4 quarts (or more or less depending on the strength you want).
  5. You can serve over ice once it is cold, but it's much better to refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight. See Serving. The Tea will keep for about 1 week refrigerated in a sealed container.
NOTES:

  1. Tea:

      Three Tablespoons of loose Black Tea is enough for one gallon (3-3/4 litre). In Southern practice, tea bags are usually used, 12 regular or 3 family size. In Indonesia, Jasmine flavored tea is most commonly used.

  2. Sugar:

      1 cup per gallon makes a fairly sweet tea. Some prefer more sugar, some less. I use Zulka Morena Pure Can Sugar which has some taste. Use to your own best judgement.

  3. Serving:

      Pack a tall glass almost full of ice, then pour in Sweet Tea to fill. Usually a straw is provided. It may be decorated with a lemon slice on the rim (which can be squeezed in).

  4. Variations:

      1/4 teaspoon per gallon of Baking Soda is often added with the sugar to reduce acidity. I do not find this necessary. The tea may be flavored with Lemon Juice, Mint Leaves, or various fruit juices. It is not uncommon to pour some Bourbon into the glass before adding the tea.

  5. Background:

      Sugar was an important component of the Triangle Slave Trade. Charleston South Carolina was also a port much involved with the spice trade, along with which came Tea from Asia. The two were combined for a refreshing cold drink. Until after the Civil War, ice was the most expensive ingredient, but sugar and tea were also expensive, thus a drink for the wealthy. Southern Sweet Tea was originally made with green tea, but during WWII the Japanese cut off access. Assam tea from India was then used, and black tea still dominates.
    The Dutch set up Tea and Sugar Cane plantations in Indonesia, and the two products were soon combined into what is today Indonesia's favorite beverage (they're Muslims, so they can't have Beer).
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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