I have never heard anyone say, "Tea is tea." Green tea, black tea and exotic tea blends line the shelves at Food City. Why am I talking about tea? First of all, it's hot outside and I want a tall glass of iced tea. Then, too, my taste in tea has changed over the years. My favorite now is sweet tea. You can buy it in a gallon jug. Even the fast food places brew their own sweetened iced tea.

There was a time when green tea was king in our house. Mother would buy a one pound bag of green tea siftings. It wouldn't last long. Mother knew how to brew good tea. She would scald the tea pot with hot water, add the right amount of loose tea leaves and fill with scalding hot water. After it steeped a few minutes, Mother poured out a cup for Dad, first of all, and then for my two brothers and me. Finally she poured a cup for herself. That was the order for everything served at our table. I will talk about that another time.

With the beginning of World War ll, green tea was no longer available. After the war when we again found it on the grocery shelf, it no longer held its magic for us. By that time we were certified black tea drinkers. The war changed us in more ways than one.

On the farm growing up we didn't drink iced tea. First of all, we didn't have ice in the summertime. Hey, we didn't even have electricity and we lived too far out in the country to have an icebox. Also, green tea doesn't make good iced tea. I've tried it. You need black tea for that.

My husband expected a pitcher of iced tea on the table at suppertime year round. Unsweetened. I once tried putting some sugar in my glass, but didn't like it. Fast forward to Summers Road near Hickory Star. Here I learned what sweetened ice tea should taste like. I have been a devoted follower of sweet tea ever since. This recipe came to me by watching Opal Maples prepare it when I worked in her home as a caregiver for her husband. He has since passed on. Opal is a sweet and gentle lady. I treasure her friendship. This is her recipe for iced sweet tea.

OPAL'S SWEETENED ICE TEA
1 quart cold water
1 or 2 family-size ice tea bags
1 cup white sugar
1 quart cold water

In medium saucepan over high heat, bring 1 quart cold water to a boil. Add the family-sized tea bags and cover. Remove from heat and steep for 5 minutes. Remove tea bags and discard. Add 1 cup sugar. Stir until dissolved. Add another quart cold water. Fill a 2 quart pitcher with ice cubes. Add prepared tea. Let sit a few minutes and serve.