Raleigh's "Sweet Tea" Honors Its Southern Roots RALEIGH, N.C. (June 2005) – In a city known for its emerging "Nouvelle Southern" culinary scene, Raleigh continues to embrace its Southern heritage with a celebration of the "Elixir of the South"– its sweet tea. June is deemed National Ice Tea Month, and in Raleigh that means there is no other way to serve it than cold and sweet. From fine dining to down-home country cooking, this quintessential Southern favorite can be found almost anywhere.
More than 2.2 billion gallons of iced tea were consumed last year with the average American drinking 6.5 gallons. Whether flavored, brewed by the sun, or plain, every Southerner has an opinion on the best way to make ice tea and recipes are guarded like rare treasures. However, they all share a common ingredient - sugar- and lots of it!
Take a "Sweet Tour of Raleigh" and find out how some of the area's most notable restaurants honor this Southern tradition.
The "House Wine" of the South
Big Ed's Market Restaurant: Making gallons upon gallons of tea per day, Big Ed's lives up to its big name not only with the amount of tea it serves but with the restaurant's large portions of traditional country cooking. Offering 12 fresh vegetables from the State Farmers Market as well as eight fresh meats each day, Big Ed's boasts variety!
Cooper's Barbecue: What's barbecue without sweet tea? Cooper's Barbecue has been dishing out these two Southern favorites since 1928. Housed in its original location in downtown Raleigh, Coopers serves traditional fare such as fried chicken, hushpuppies, Brunswick stew, coleslaw and of course award winning barbecue.
Mecca Restaurant: The true sign of any Southern establishment proud of its tea is one that leaves a tea pitcher on the table. Cold, sweet and lots of it, the Mecca has been serving tea this way for 75 years. Celebrating this milestone in 2005, this Raleigh establishment serves up no-frills home cooking with a sense of history and the feel of a classic American diner.
State Farmers Market: With 75 acres and 35,000 rental spaces, the State Farmers Market is the agricultural pride of Raleigh. Quench your thirst for a cool glass of tea at The State Farmers Market Restaurant, located on the grounds of the State Farmers Market. Offering five or six meats, 15 different vegetables and several homemade desserts, the menu changes daily, depending, in part, on the fresh produce at the market.
A New Twist on an Old Favorite
Figs Market, LLC: Figs Market, a gourmet food market in trendy Cameron Village, features an eat-in or take-out restaurant with fresh entrees, a full service bakery and a coffee bar. The goal of this venture is to mix international flavors with Southern hospitality. Figs Market has quickly become a lunchtime favorite for the downtown Raleigh crowd, and aims to provide unique offerings such as raspberry, strawberry or ginger mango ice teas.
The Twisted Fork: When traditional sweet tea isn't what you are looking for turn to The Twisted Fork, one of Raleigh's most novel restaurant concepts, to offer a variety of flavored iced teas. With offerings like peach or strawberry tea, The Twisted Fork lives up to its concept of being an interactive restaurant, with the marriage of a restaurant, bar, gourmet, take-out and gift shop in one!
In the Beginning We cannot forget where the original love affair with tea began, in English Tea Rooms. Raleigh is an unsuspecting place for these antique filled, formal gathering places but it is home to three notable locations to take a step back in history.
Chamomile Cottage Tea Room: A favorite for "Big Girl Tea Parties," this North Raleigh tearoom offers tea blend favorites, lunch and tea related trinkets in the gift shop. Open for lunch and afternoon tea, local favorites include scones with clotted cream and jam and traditional English finger sandwiches.
Old English Tea Room: Enjoy classical music in this British-style teashop which offers more than 20 tea varieties, lunch items, desserts and coffee in cozy room in historic Wake Forest. Known for its homemade lunch items such as the pecan chicken salad, the specialty teas such as mango and rose garden steal the show.
Pineapple Tea Room: The pineapple is the symbol of warmth and hospitality and the Pineapple Tearoom in Apex lives up to that moniker. Guests can borrow faux fur stoles and fancy hats to set the mood for an afternoon Victorian Tea Party. Owners also plan monthly tea classes and private tea parties.
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Carolina Style."
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