Virginia's "Sweet Tea Line"
Does a "Sweet Tea" line in Virginia really exist? I'm afraid so. It didn't used to be this way, but when you get north of Richmond, its harder and harder to find places that will serve you sweet tea- or even give you a choice. In Northern Virginia and close to the District, you may get blank stares when asking for that sweet goodness- even if you're a native like myself who was raised on it. 50 years ago you could get sweet tea state wide. From Leesburg to Danville from Winchester to Virginia Beach- it was the drink of choice among Southerners, and Virginia was no exception. However, because of a major recent influx of Northerners and Midwesterners, Sweet Tea is almost extinct in many places of the Commonwealth. Even in Richmond- you will be offered "sweet" or "unsweet tea" but only if asked. The problem lies in a gradual homogenization of Virgina into a more Mid-Atlantic state, rather than a Southern one. A litmus test as to whether you...