Today is National Iced Tea Day

Today we celebrate the "unofficial" drink of the South.  Iced tea!  Of course, for any true Southerner, it's not "Iced Tea"; it's Sweet Tea. 

A glass of sweet tea on the front porch after putting the final touches on your lawn mowing chores just seems to make the whole world better.  I honestly believe that no matter what the problem might be, a glass of sweet tea can fix it.

And is there anything better with fried chicken or your grandmother's famous pot roast?  According to the website HolidayInsights.com, iced tea was first served just over 100 years ago.

 In 1904, English tea plantation owner Richard Blechynden set up a booth to sell hot tea at the St. Louis World Fair. It was a sizzler of a day, and fair visitors didn't want anything hot. Rather, they needed something to quench their thirst... something cold. He dumped some of his hot tea into ice and served it cold. It was an immediate hit.

For years, people have believed that tea has a number of medicinal values including:

•   Avoidance of heart disease

•   Cancer and tumors

•   Stomach ailments

•   Sore throats and colds (often flavored with honey)

•   Soothing, relaxing

Research done in modern times has given credibility to many of these beliefs and no research suggests that tea could be harmful.  So drink and enjoy...after all, it's Sweet Tea...and today is the day to celebrate it.