Southern Libations

No conversation about drinks in the South could possibly be complete without mentioning sweet tea - the official hospitality drink of South Carolina.  Sweet tea started as a luxury item, as at the time, all 3 ingredients (tea, ice, sugar) were rare and expensive. The oldest known recipe for sweet tea was published in the cookbook “Housekeeping in Old Virginia” in 1878. The original recipe called for green tea, the most popular tea of that time.  World War II brought about a shortage of green tea, so by the end of the war black tea had taken its place. Also, back in the day, sweet tea was sometimes enjoyed as a punch mixed with various spirits, mint and cream...the precursor to the modern Mint Julep!