I Like Paula..But She TOTALLY Missed It Here…

I like watching Paula Deen.  Actually, I should say that I enjoyed watching her the one time I saw her on cable.

When the kids all chipped in and sent Marc and I on a romantic getaway over night they got us a hotel that had cable…so….HGTV and Food Network were part of the itinerary.  I head read Paula Deen often but not watched her and she just reminds me of so many of the southern women in our age group (ahem) that I know. 

Anyway, I really like her because she is funny and unpretentious.  But she makes tea with Luzianne. 

I suppose that she just doesn’t know any better.  Now, if you are making sweet tea with bags, by all means use Luzianne.  It is a tradition.  It will give it the perfect reddish color.  But if you want great sweet tea you need to use a loose leaf tea.  There is just no comparison in flavor and complexity.

And you have just got to serve it in a Bubba glass. Preferably with a chipped rim.

Now, some people like flavored sweet tea and some want the plain, old fashioned type.  Either way you can get some great teas to use.  Don’t be afraid to experiment.

I suggest, if you are making loose leaf sweet tea for the first time, trying Adagio’s Yunnan Jig.   It makes a complex, slightly spicy sweet tea and the flavor holds up well to the sugar, lemon, and/or mint.  It has a pretty color as well.

If you want more of an adventure and want to try a flavored sweet tea, try Adagio Melon.   Especially good with chunks of frozen melon rather than ice cubes!