Sweet Tea Secrets from the Deep-Fried South

We southern women hold on to traditions the way we grip Moon Pies. We put our sacred monograms on everything from pillow shams to beach totes. Our celebrations and recipes get passed down through generations. Tending the garden, preparing a covered dish for church dinners, and writing personal letters are a way of life for us. Most of all, we love telling stories laced with laughter, life lessons, and great memories to keep alive for family and friends.The call of the South is the call of crickets on a summer's night, the slap of a screen door--no one treasures its sound like the person who has the nature of the South in their soul. So, sistahs North and South, if you find yourself anxious about tomorrow and drawn back to a time when the face of a stranger on the front porch meant a new neighbor stopping by with a pie, then pour yourself a tall glass of sweet tea, pull up a chair, and join me on a humorous journey back home to my beloved Johns Island, South Carolina. Share in our sacred tales of family, faith, deep-fried traditions, and that oh-so-good down-home cooking. These stories--all true, some stretching the bounds of sanity--are best viewed through a window with Southern exposure. In time, between sips of tea, they just might stir up the sugary sweetness of your own favorite recollections. Enjoy!