This thirst-quenching Southern treat will please people both north and south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Instructions

• Step 1: Bring four cups of water to a boil in a large pot.
• Step 2: Add the sugar to the boiled water and stir until it dissolves. Turn off the heat.
• TIP: If you're watching your weight, use a sugar substitute.
• Step 3: Add a pinch of baking soda to the solution to eliminate bitterness.
• Step 4: Add the tea bags and stir again. Wait 20 minutes and remove the bags without squeezing them.
• TIP: A family-sized tea bag is equal to four individual-sized tea bags.
• Step 5: Pour the tea into the pitcher. Top it off with cold water and stir.
• Step 6: Pour your sweet tea into a tall glass. Serve over ice with a slice of lemon or chill it overnight.
• FACT: In 1795, Andre Michaux imported the first tea plant to the United States and planted it near Charleston, South Carolina.