Cool brew – “Sweet or unsweet?”

Every native of the South has been asked the same question countless times in diners, cafes and restaurants over the course of their lives. A waiter or waitress poses it at the outset of the meal for the straightforward purpose of fact-finding, but it’s a question that has the power to make us feel rooted to something homey and real.

“Sweet or unsweet?”

Iced tea means comfort from the blanket of heat outdoors. It’s versatile and refreshing. It can be spiked or not, sweetened or not, fruited or minted or not. It offers health benefits, serves as a sumptuous brine for fried chicken and roast duck and is cheap and easy to brew. In an age when food and drink pairing has reached new gravity, it’s an understated player capable of complementing a wide range of eats. Its lone shortcoming may be that we’re so used to having it around its meaning goes unnoticed.

Summer seems to have descended around here already, so it’s time to give iced tea a harder look. For starters, get creative with your own brew at home by combining locally-made Community tea bags with equal parts decaffeinated fruit teas. The century old Baton Rouge-based company now also makes lemon green tea pods, and features a handful of cool, fruit teas at its CC’s Coffee Houses. Red Stick Spice Company has an award-winning loose peach tea perfect for summer pitchers, along with about 60 more high-quality teas, including recent winners from the World Tea Expo. Highland Coffees is also known for its care in selecting quality teas and can advise on proper brewing techniques. Out and about, spots like P.J.’s and Yvette Marie’s both offer exemplary mango iced tea, while Ichiban has a clean and simple iced green tea. Bistro Byronz reports they’re serving lots of Arnold Palmers these days (half lemonade, half iced tea), which transition neatly into so-called John Dalys with the addition of vodka. A quiet, but determined, movement of bubble tea has emerged in Baton Rouge at Paradise Smoothie. The Taiwanese drink combines tea with milk, fruit or fruit syrup in flavors like lychee and kiwi and its best known for the whimsical tapioca balls that float to the bottom and absorb the drink’s flavor.