I didn’t like iced tea when I was growing up in Ohio. One of my relatives always had it in her home and I didn’t care for the taste.

Well, my relative was used to unsweetened tea that I think was made from a powdered mix. When I went to college in South Carolina during the mid-1980s, I learned what Southern iced tea really tasted like.

Shortly after I arrived on campus, I noticed iced tea was available everywhere as a beverage. I also noticed tea was usually a little cheaper than pop and, free refills on tea were easier to find than free refills on pop.

As a result, college kids who would rather spend their money on things other than soft drinks nearly always chose iced tea.

I kept asking for pop or water.

One day, I was traveling with the university marching band and we were served a catered lunch: all-you-can-eat spicy fried chicken, dirty rice (for those of you who need an explanation, it’s rice mixed with spices and ground sausage), biscuits and iced tea.

I was not familiar with the chicken and rice dishes, but I liked them.

I didn’t see any alternative to tea, and I was quite thirsty, so I picked up a cup.

The tea surprised me. It was served sweet.

I learned that’s how most people in South Carolina preferred it.

I was converted. I joined my Southern college friends in asking for iced tea instead of pop.

When I moved back north after college graduation, I called one of those friends and asked for directions on how to properly brew tea with a teapot. I also learned Luzianne tea bags gave me the taste I was used to.

Eventually, I got someone’s hand-me-down electric iced tea maker. Last year I asked for, and got, a new iced tea maker.

Somewhere along the line I moved away from real sugar to “pink sweetener” added to the tea.

Now, my husband doesn’t drink iced tea, and neither does my daughter.

And the restaurants I go to these days usually charge the same for iced tea as for pop.

But there’s always a pitcher of freshly brewed tea in our refrigerator. I alternate that with diet pop for a beverage at home.

Even those who don’t drink iced tea year-round might find it to be a refreshing treat during the summer. (Don’t bother getting an electric iced tea maker if this is a seasonal beverage for your family: sun-brewed tea is easy to make.)

The real treat is what you will find is in your wallet. Freshly-brewed iced tea is much cheaper per serving than pop, juice or powdered lemonade mix.