Disclaimer: This tea is sweetened, but is not sweet tea!

I’ve spent the past two years in the South, but I do not claim to be a Southerner. I grew up in the North, where we added sugar packets to our glasses of unsweetened tea. I realize now what these Southerners have known all along- that sugar doesn’t dissolve well in cold tea.

I typically drink water (I’d rather eat my calories) instead of tea, but there is a giant patch of spearmint taking over our garden that must be stopped. The first thing I thought to make with the mint was tea (mint chocolate chip ice cream was a close second). I consulted a few tea recipes, but I knew they would be too sweet for my tastes. I concocted a simple recipe of my own and managed to get a few dear Southern friends (Kentucky natives) to drink some yesterday while they were passing through.

While this tea is still pretty sweet for me (I usually dilute my glass with water), the spearmint flavor keeps me coming back. I think I could reduce the sugar by half and it would still be enjoyable to me. The mint just has a way of fooling your taste buds into thinking the tea is sweeter than it really is. A glass of this tea is light, refreshing, and best enjoyed with friends.