Shellfish Free Southern Sweet Iced Tea

Few drinks capture the spirit of a long, lazy afternoon quite like a tall glass of sweet iced tea. This classic Southern version is built on just three pantry staples — water, black tea bags, and sugar — making it about as pure and unfussy as a recipe can get. The method matters here: steeping the bags without squeezing them keeps the brew smooth and mellow rather than bitter, and dissolving the sugar while the tea is still hot ensures every sip is evenly sweet from top to bottom. Once the concentrate is cut with cold water and chilled, you've got a pitcher of something genuinely refreshing that tastes like it came from a roadside diner in the best possible way. Lemon slices and fresh mint are optional, but they add a bright, aromatic lift that takes the whole glass up a notch. It's the kind of drink that disappears fast at gatherings, so you may want to make a double batch.

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