Ok, dumb question, but What's the Difference between...

[marcyinPA]

Sweet tea and Iced tea? I'm from the north, and I drink iced tea (unsweetened with Splenda) all the time, but I keep seeing threads about "sweet tea"...what is this? Is it brewed tea that is chilled and sweetened with sugar? Or is is the Nestea stuff that is from concentrate? Or something else?

Thanks!

 

[solotraveler]

Sweet tea and Iced tea? I'm from the north, and I drink iced tea (unsweetened with Splenda) all the time, but I keep seeing threads about "sweet tea"...what is this? Is it brewed tea that is chilled and sweetened with sugar? Or is is the Nestea stuff that is from concentrate? Or something else?

Thanks!

My friend from North Carolina defines "Sweet Tea" as 1/2 iced tea and 1/2 sugar water. I think it's a vile concoction, but people seem to love it! Now, I don't know if that's Disney's definition, though.

Solotraveler

 

[maxaroni]

I asked my boss, who is from LA. I, too, am from the north and kept thinking it is iced tea with sugar. He said...oh, it's different. In other words, I'm thinking the lemon flavored Nestea w/sugar. He said no, it's iced tea w/sugar...OK, what's the difference? We go to the local pizza parlor and they say 'sweetened or unsweetened' when ordring iced tea.

Anyway, we drove to WDW last month. We stopped in SC on the way down and at dinner 'sweet tea' was on the menu...I ordered it to try it. It is tea with TONS of sugar in it. It's a bit too sweet for me. I prefer to taste the tea, rather than the sugar.

 

[sleepydog25]

Having traveled the U.S. via the military, let me set the record straight.
In general, iced tea is the same everywhere--it's brewed tea served over ice. However, in the South, iced tea and sweet tea (regular iced tea sweetened with sugar) are essentially the same. If ordering iced tea in a restaurant below the Mason-Dixon line, then specify whether you want sweetened or unsweetened. When I was stationed in some Northern tier states, I was amused that tea on a menu often meant hot tea or canned Nestea when "in season," i.e., during the summer. No way in hades should canned or bottled stuff EVER be mistaken as real iced tea which is either brewed fresh on the spot or, as I like to do at home, using the sun tea method. For the record, I like my iced tea both sweetened and unsweetened, depending on my mood at the moment.

 

[kaytieeldr]

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/IcedTeaHistory.htm

And the two sweet tea recipes from that site:

Andra's Sweet Tea
5 cups water, divided
2 regular-size tea bags
Pinch baking soda
2 (1 grain each) Saccharin tablets
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups cold water
Ice cubes

Bring 3 cups water to a boil; remove from heat. Add tea bags and baking soda; let steep 1 minute and then remove tea bags. Add remaining 2 cups water.

In a large pitcher, add saccharin tablets and sugar. Add warm tea and stir. Add additional 3 cups cold water and stir until well mixed. Cool and serve in tall glasses over ice.

Yields 1/2 gallon.

==

Juanita's Southern Iced Tea

3 cups boiling water
1 family-size tea bag or 3 regular-size tea bags
1/2 to 3/4 cup sugar or to taste
5 cups cold water
Ice cubes

Pour boiling water over the tea bags. Set aside and let steep 5 minutes. Remove tea bags.

In a large pitcher, add sugar and pour warm tea over sugar; stirring until sugar is melted. Add 5 cups cold water and stir until well mixed. Cool and serve in tall glasses over ice.

Yields 1/2 gallon.

 

[sleepydog25]

Okay, let's be clear about one thing--no true Southern iced tea lover is going to pretend that saccharin (or any other sugar substitute) has any business being in the tea. That's not to say folks don't use it--my mom always made our sweet tea with saccharin, and it hasn't affected me. . .affected me. . .affected me. . . Further, making sweetened iced tea from a recipe denies the tradition of just brewing up some tea in water, then adding some sugar and cold water. When making iced tea, measuring is for wimps. aw:

 

[GeorgiaAristocat]

Okay, let's be clear about one thing--no true Southern iced tea lover is going to pretend that saccharin (or any other sugar substitute) has any business being in the tea. That's not to say folks don't use it--my mom always made our sweet tea with saccharin, and it hasn't affected me. . .affected me. . .affected me. . . Further, making sweetened iced tea from a recipe denies the tradition of just brewing up some tea in water, then adding some sugar and cold water. When making iced tea, measuring is for wimps. aw:

Exactly what I was thinking when I saw a recipe that included saccharin What in the world?
Sweet tea is just brewed tea with sugar added (while the tea was still hot, of course), then poured over ice. Even in the south, the degree of sweetness varies with the person making it. In our household, we generally add about one cup of sugar for a large pitcher (probably 1/2 to 3/4 of a gallon). When in a southern restaurant, if you say "tea," the server will assume that you want sweetened iced tea unless that is not an option. Down here, you have to designate that you want unsweetened tea.

But the really important question - what exactly do they serve at WDW? If it is the pre-made concentrate (Lipton real-flavored iced tea) then it is NOT real iced tea (freshly brewed)!

 

[CheshireVal]

Exactly what I was thinking when I saw a recipe that included saccharin What in the world?
Sweet tea is just brewed tea with sugar added (while the tea was still hot, of course), then poured over ice. Even in the south, the degree of sweetness varies with the person making it. In our household, we generally add about one cup of sugar for a large pitcher (probably 1/2 to 3/4 of a gallon). When in a southern restaurant, if you say "tea," the server will assume that you want sweetened iced tea unless that is not an option. Down here, you have to designate that you want unsweetened tea.

But the really important question - what exactly do they serve at WDW? If it is the pre-made concentrate (Lipton real-flavored iced tea) then it is NOT real iced tea (freshly brewed)!

I was under the assumption that the stuff at Disney is the yucky stuff from concentrate.

 

[ceecee]

Usually I don't like sweeetened tea, but I loved the sweet tea I tried on a trip to GA, haven't been able to get any as good since, but I loved it.

 

[brerrabbit]

My Great Aunt only made sweet tea. She had a small pot she we boil the water in add about four tea bags and then a whole mess of sugar. IT was basically very dark tea and very sweet, really a concentrate. She poured that into a pitcher with ice and added water to fill the pitcher. No recipe, no artificial sweetners, just tea and sugar. I lived in Calgary, Alberta for a while and if you ordered ice tea you either got instant tea with the lemon flavoring, or hot tea with the tea pot and tea bag with a glass of ice.

 

[KIRSTIN'S MOMMY]

This cracks me up! I was born and raised in the south, and my dh is from Nebraska, so he had never had sweet tea before moving here. His family still has never even tried it, even when they come down to visit. In our house, that's all we drink. In our fridge, there is a 2 gallon pitcher of sweet tea and a gallon of milk at all times. We use Luzianne tea bags, boil water, put in 2 tea bags, and let it sit for a while. Then, we fill the pitcher about 1/3 with warm water, put in 2 cups of sugar, and pour in the tea from the pot. Most people then just add tap water, but I run the water back over the tea bags in the pot and pour it in, it makes the tea a little stronger and not so light. I remember the first trip I took with my dh to NE, and we got to Missouri and stopped for breakfast. I asked for grits and sweet tea, and the waitress actually laughed at me!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, let's be clear about one thing--no true Southern iced tea lover is going to pretend that saccharin (or any other sugar substitute) has any business being in the tea. That's not to say folks don't use it--my mom always made our sweet tea with saccharin, and it hasn't affected me. . .affected me. . .affected me. . . Further, making sweetened iced tea from a recipe denies the tradition of just brewing up some tea in water, then adding some sugar and cold water. When making iced tea, measuring is for wimps. aw:

LOL - I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Yankee (not to be confused with a Yankees fan and JUST found out from this thread that my mom made my dad genuine Sweet Tea the entire time they were married - does St. Louis MO count as The South? That's as close as they ever got to being Southerners.

 

[mickeymousemom]

We're from Indiana and have sweet tea all over here. I have grown up drinking it and wouldn't want my tea any other way(though I do use sweetener alot since I'm trying to lose a few pounds). True sweet tea doesn't contain artificial sweetener...but if you're watching your calories, then by all means use it. Yum, Yum, sweet tea!

 

[sleepydog25]

Most people then just add tap water, but I run the water back over the tea bags in the pot and pour it in, it makes the tea a little stronger and not so light.

Great idea! I may have to try that this winter. Until then, I will continue making sun tea. Sun tea just always seems to have a bit more tea taste than brewed tea, likely due to the fact it takes longer to "brew."

LOL - I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Yankee (not to be confused with a Yankees fan and JUST found out from this thread that my mom made my dad genuine Sweet Tea the entire time they were married - does St. Louis MO count as The South? That's as close as they ever got to being Southerners.

As with most matters of the heart, what really counts is how you feel. I grew up in the South and East Texas, lived in several states during my career, and settled here in the mountains of southwest Virginia. And in all my travels, I've never lived in as beautiful or seductive an area as Alaska was to me during my last duty station. In my heart, I still feel like an Alaskan, transplanted though I was. As for the sweet tea, I even managed to find it in Anchorage at a couple of catfish eateries. . .yeah, they were owned by long time Southerners. aw:

True sweet tea doesn't contain artificial sweetener...but if you're watching your calories, then by all means use it. Yum, Yum, sweet tea!

Allowances always can be made for dietary needs, desires, or tastes. Most key lime pies aren't made with real key limes (they're small and it takes a whole bunch of them to get enough juice), but done right, they still taste heavenly. Now, I'm thirsty. Time to go make another gallon of sun tea. . . aw:

 

[HopperFan]

Originally from Yankee territory (the baseball team too), moved south as a kid, moved back as an adult and have again returned to the south. About half a lifetime in each. Sweet tea = sugar added into hot brewed tea - no Nestea or any other mix.......WDW tea is not what one could drink after enjoying a good southern sweet tea. I can't drink the powdered stuff anymore. Yes, first time I saw a relative add "pills" to their sweet tea I about fainted. It did taste good, but still was shocked and I don't do that at home.

After moving back to the north as an adult, was in Manhattan in December, went to hotel restaurant and ordered ice tea with my meal. Imagine my shock when I took a sip and it was a Long Island Tea . I forgot, most places there didn't serve ice tea in the winter.......

Be careful when you order ice tea, always ask what it is made of......ice tea comes in many forms around the country.

 

[disneymom727]

What a funny thread. I grew up in FL where my mom always made iced tea and would just add sweet-n-low (YUCK). I married a very southern man who introduced me to "sweet tea". What a difference. I LOVE it. It is funny though when I go back to FL and order tea I wind up getting a glass of unsweetened tea that I am supposed to add sugar to myself!!! Can you imagine?!? It's just not the same unless it is loaded down with sugar to begin with.

All this talk of tea, I need to go get a glass.

 

[Hodder]

Okay, let's be clear about one thing--no true Southern iced tea lover is going to pretend that saccharin (or any other sugar substitute) has any business being in the tea. That's not to say folks don't use it--my mom always made our sweet tea with saccharin, and it hasn't affected me. . .affected me. . .affected me. . . Further, making sweetened iced tea from a recipe denies the tradition of just brewing up some tea in water, then adding some sugar and cold water. When making iced tea, measuring is for wimps. aw:

LOL... me either

 

[Saskamouse]

Being from NC originally, we grew up on sweet tea, which is as some above stated, brew your tea, let it steep, then add the sugar or make a sugar syrup and then fill the rest of the pitcher with cold water, viola, sweet tea. I usually use 1/2 cup to a gallon of tea.

Up here in Saskatchewan, where I have lived for 7 years, tea is made from instant powdered stuff, so needless to say, I don't drink ice tea out of the house and friends that come for dinner just love my tea and ask how I make it. That powdered lemon flavored stuff is the pits!

When travelling I always ask is your ice tea brewed fresh! If not, I'll have a glass of water with lemon please. Now if I could only find a Krispy Kreme doughnut up here to go with my sweet tea please, I'd be in heaven.

Sweet Tea Drinker for Life:
Carol

 

[babyblues68]

What's instant tea...just kidding. I've grown up with nothing but sweet tea. Geez in my house you can run out of bread, eggs, milk and butter, but don't ever let the sweet tea run out.

Guess it's like us southerns call every carbonated beverage a coke and up north it's pop.

 

[reginaastralis]

Tehe, this thread cracked me up.

Sweet tea def. comes in different forms. I am a server at Cracker Barrel. Now, if you've never eaten at a Cracker Barrel, the food is "southern", greens, grits, sweet tea. They make the biscuits with actual lard. Everything is "home made", not boxed mixes ... you all get the idea. Well, one of our managers thought our tea was "too sweet" and he started having us measure the sugar we were putting in. I've never had so many complaints in my entire life! Actually, tonight one of my tables complained to a different manager and wanted to know how much money they were saving by cutting back the sugar I actually had to make them a new batch, which I respectfully referred to as "Alabama sweet tea". We joke around that we like to be able to crunch the sugar in our tea.

I used to work at a place that was owned by people up North. The chain had never been this far south, and there aren't any in the actual south. They didn't have sweet tea in the restaurant. Man, talk about complaints! LOL. The one thing they learned, don't mess with Southeners and their sweet tea.

I bet, in all honesty, that the sweet tea at Disney depends on the restauant and the servers making it.

Amanda