A plaque remaining from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem.

Above, a 1934 plaque from the Big Apple Night Club at West 135th Street and Seventh Avenue in Harlem. Discarded as trash in 2006. Now a Popeyes fast food restaurant on Google Maps.

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Entry from July 03, 2007
Champagne of the South (sweet tea)

“Champagne of the South” or “Southern Champagne” is another name for sweet tea. It’s iced tea that’s very, very sweet and is a favorite from Georgia to Texas.
 
RC Cola (from Columbus, Georgia) and Coca-Cola (from Atlanta, Georgia) have also been called “Southern Champagne” or “the Champagne of the South.”
 
 
Everything2.com
champagne of the south
Wed Jul 25 2001 at 1:42:07
Is a slang term for Coca-Cola in the south. Or alternatively it’s a term northerners use when describing southern culture.
I’m not entirely certain, but I met Steve Forbert (a very good folk/pop singer) yesterday and he used the term in the interview he was giving. As he’s from Mississippi I tend to think “champagne of the south” is a southern term.
   
(thing) by Mikebert Fri Oct 20 2006 at 23:11:15
As a member of the South, born and raised in Georgia I can assure you that the “champagne of the South” is sweet tea.
Allow me to translate “sweet tea” for you Yankee types out there. You’re familiar with hot tea, no? Throw that shit out of your head. I’m talking about something completely different. I’m talking about the nectar of the gods.
 
Making sweet tea
The general idea:
Sweet tea is made by adding tea bags to boiling water then dumping sugar in the warm pitcher. And I’m talking about enough sugar to give your pancreas a seizure. Then you have to put the pitcher in the refrigerator and let it cool. If this tea ever becomes warm again, you have committed a sin. Shaogo reminds me that the addition of lemons is also a sin. The only things that should ever touch your tea are your lips and ice.
 
Serving sweet tea
Sweet tea should only be served at rest. This usually coincides with a good lunch, dinner or time spent during the evening to unwind or reflect on the day. Sweet tea is also a social drink; it’s best with friends. Also, if anyone ever enters your house, you offer them a drink, starting with sweet tea.
 
Proper procedure begins with vessel selection. Grab some big glasses from the cabinet (not the cupboard). And I mean big like it takes both hands, thumb to thumb and fingertip to fingertip, to encircle the glass. Skip anything with a handle. If your guest gets to the bottom of his glass before he leaves, you fail as a host. Fill the glass about 1/3 or 1/2 way with ice. Now grab that chilled pitcher and fill those glasses up to the brim. In the summer months, if the glass doesn’t immediately start sweating, it’s not cold enough.
   
Now gather up all the glasses you poured, carry them to your friends and loved ones on the porch. Put everyone else’s glass in their hand first, then sit down with yours. Lean back, sip your sweet tea, watch the day slowly die and thank God you live in the South.
       
Blue Willow Inn (Social Circle, Georgia)
Along with your meal enjoy sweetened iced tea, the “Champagne of the South”, and lemonade.
     
AOL Food
Southern Sweet Tea
Posted Jun 28th 2007 2:48AM by Kat Kinsman
 
“Sweet tea” is a staple of restaurants and homes across the Southeastern United States; so prevalent that a guest has to specifically request “unsweet” in order to get a brew that won’t instantly candy their molars, and enough of a cultural institution that several Representatives in Georgia presented House Bill 819 requiring all food service establishments to serve it. Sure, it was quickly revealed as an April Fools Day prank, but it bespoke the region’s reverence for the “champagne of the South”.
 
So, just what IS this magical elixir? Essentially, it’s bagged or loose orange pekoe (that’s a grade of black) tea, that’s brewed and blended with sugar while it’s still hot. A lot of sugar. If you’re making this for the first time and you think you’ve swirled in enough sugar – you haven’t. Keep pouring. Then pour more. If your stirring spoon is threatening to stand up on its own, you may still need to add more. Have a Southerner sample it if you’re not sure. They’ll tell you to add MORE.
 
Google Groups: alt.callahans
Newsgroups: alt.callahans
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Barbara Trumpinski)
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 03:26:31 GMT
Local: Mon, Jul 27 1992 11:26 pm
Subject: Re: Pepsi Drinkers Unite! (was Re: Snow FantasyAnd now, back to the show:   
 
“thanks nathan….yes…i prefer (diet) pepsi….but i can drink diet cherry coke…i have never been fond of “southern champagne” (RC) however…” 
 
Google Groups: rec.arts.disney.parks
Newsgroups: rec.arts.disney.parks
From: Bambi Battle


Date: 1999/06/17
Subject: Re: What do you forget to pack?
 
You can only get Coke brand drink products in the park, so bring your own juices and iced tea (that champagne of the South).
     
Google Groups: alt.music.pink-floyd
Newsgroups: alt.music.pink-floyd
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: 2000/08/08
Subject: Re: Friendly Survey
 
“Sweet tea is Southern Champagne” - From a Po’ Folks restaurant menu.

Posted by Barry Popik
Texas (Lone Star State Dictionary) • Tuesday, July 03, 2007 • Permalink


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