Mealtime Magic: Sweet Tea Bread

Post reprinted from THE SOUTHERN SYMPATHY COOKBOOK: Funeral Food with a Twist.

Sweet Tea Bread Makes 1 loaf Sweet Tea is so ubiquitous and all encompassing in the South, we use it in just about any way we can. This light, delicately flavored quick bread is perfect for breakfast or an afternoon gathering, packaged up nicely with a ribbon or sliced on a silver platter. 1 family-sized tea bag 2 sprigs mint, plus 1 tablespoon finely chopped mint 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature ¾ cup granulated sugar Zest of one medium lemon 2 large eggs 1½ cups all-purpose flour ½ teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar Put the tea bag and 2 sprigs of mint in a measuring cup. Add 1 cup boiling water. Steep for 30 minutes, then remove the tea bag and mint. Cool to room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with baking spray. Beat the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy. Beat in the lemon zest and 1 tablespoon of finely chopped fresh mint. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Measure out ½ cup of the tea, reserving the rest for the glaze. Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the butter in the bowl in three additions, alternating with the tea and scraping down the sides of the bowl. When everything is well combined, beat on high for 5 seconds, then scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth into an even layer. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. Sift the confectioners’ sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in the remaining tea slowly, until you have a pourable glaze about the consistency of heavy cream. Drizzle the glaze over the cake with a spoon, spreading to cover the top with a few attractive drips down the sides. Let the glaze set for about an hour. The loaf will keep in an airtight container for a day.  In times of needed comfort we often turn to food. There may be no better way to express condolences to the bereaved than to show up with "funeral food": comforting casseroles, cheesy potatoes, sweet sheet cakes. THE SOUTHERN SYMPATHY COOKBOOK: Funeral Food with a Twist by Perre Coleman Magness provides a bevy of hearty bites for those with heavy hearts, whether you're feeding an entire congregation or delivering a meal to a friend in need.  The Southern Sympathy Cookbook covers all meals from The Great Awakening (Breakfast and Breads) to The Sweet Hereafter (Desserts and Sweets). Recipes include Three Bean Salad with Bacon Vinaigrette, Pulled Pork with Homemade Barbecue Sauce, Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls and Buttermilk Bacon Stuffed Eggs. Throughout these Southern funeral recipe staples are woven unexpectedly humorous obituaries and anecdotes. Readers get a glimpse into the Southern grieving process and the story behind why these foods are so important in times of mourning.  Perre Coleman Magness is an event planner, food writer, and the author of Pimento Cheese: The Cookbook (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2014) and the blog The Runaway Spoon. Perre has studied food and cooking around the world, mostly by eating, but also through serious study in London, Morocco, Thailand, and Mexico. Her kitchen of choice is at home in Memphis, Tennessee, cooking like most people, experimenting with unique but practical ideas.