The History of Iced Tea

Iced tea is a well-liked drink in the United States, and is becoming far more well known in other countries, though it will probably in no way reach the level of consumption by Americans. Surveys have shown that around two.2 billion gallons of tea are consumed in the USA each and every year, and at least 85 percent of the total is iced. With a host of selections for their iced drinks, such as powdered, canned, and bottled for a quick pick me up, and the standard brewed drink employing either bags or loose leaves, people in the United States have proven their enjoy for this delicious beverage.

For quite a few years, it was believed that iced tea was first introduced at the St. Louis World's Fair in 1904. A man by the name of Richard Blechynden, who was the Commissioner of Tea for India, was also the director of the East Indian Pavilion at the fair. Mr. Blechynden had prepared samples of hot tea for fairgoers, and noticed that no one was taking benefit of them, as it was an unseasonably hot day and everybody was going for the coldest beverages they could locate. He had the notion of icing down his hot mixture, and presented it to the public that way. The crowds loved it, and word spread of this delicious way to enjoy a healthy drink. Mr. Blechynden did not invent the iced version, but created it much more well known with Americans.

This was not, however, the first time that the iced drink had been available in the United States. Rewind to the 1800s. Cookbooks from that era prove that the iced drink was well-known served in punches and created with green leaves - not black leaves. Sugar and very a bit of liquor had been added to these, and they were given intriguing names in line with the times. The popularity of these punches continued into the mid 19th century, and the names given to them start to be regional and also patriotic in meaning.

The 18th century also saw the commence of refrigeration as we know it nowadays. First there was the ice home. Then came the ice box, the first refrigerator, which was patented in 1830. Slabs of ice kept the contents cold, and were delivered a number of times a week by an ice man. Ice tea became even a lot more well known as the availability of ice and a form of refrigeration became readily available to all. "Tea Punch" was still well-liked for parties and gatherings, created now with black leaves and green leaves, white sugar, heavy cream, and either claret or champagne, and typically served cold.

In a Southern cookbook published in 1879, a recipe for the iced drink appears, and it is prepared in a way that is similar to the way a number of persons prepare it right now, except the sugar is not added while the mixture is hot from brewing, the time when it dissolves perfect. Other recipes from 1884 and 1890 make it plain that persons had been enjoying the iced drink prior to 1890. Lemon was, and still is, hugely well known in the iced mixture.

In truth, lemon has been employed in iced tea from the first glass of it served in this country! What we know nowadays as "refrigerator tea" was known as "refrigerator tea" when it came into popularity around 1890. In 1893, the Chicago World's Fair sold the iced variety and also lemonade. Enterprise was brisk, as a lot more than $2000 was earned from the sales.

In 1904, the World's Fair was held in St. Louis. For a long time, historians thought that iced tea was invented at this fair, but further investigation in later years proved them wrong. The fair did make the iced drink extra preferred, as the crowds thoroughly enjoyed their totally free samples served by Richard Blechynden, and it is felt that fair goers went back to their houses and spread the word about how delicious and refreshing the iced tea at the fair had been. Considering that people from all over the country attended the fair, word traveled to both coasts and everywhere in between, for right after 1904, the popularity of iced tea grew. By the time World War 1 became a reality, consumers had been buying unique tall glasses recognized as "iced tea" glasses, lengthy spoons for stirring, and lemon forks.

Throughout Prohibition, iced tea became even extra preferred as folks had no selection but to locate option beverages to the beer, wine, and alcohol they had consumed. A recipe published in but another Southern cookbook contained the recipe for iced tea that was used in the South for decades, and is still in use in some Southern kitchens today.

The bag was also invented in 1904. A merchant from Boston sent samples to his clients in small silk bags. When he discovered that folks had been brewing the leaves without having removing them from the bags in order not to have to deal with the loose tea leaves, the bag as we know it today was born.

At the time of World War two, Americans had no way to acquire green tea, as the usual sources had been banned from dealing with the United States. All leaves had to come from India, and they were black. When the war ended, the individuals of America were drinking practically 99% black, and that trend stayed the very same until recently, when green came into vogue once much more.

It has been estimated that fully 60% of all the tea drunk in America is consumed in the South, and about 90 percent of that is iced. In truth, iced tea is so beloved in the South that it has been fondly dubbed the "Home Wine of the South". Southerners believe in sweetening their drink heavily, and the habit has spread to other parts of the country, where this concoction is known simply as "Sweet Tea". Lemon and mint, as properly as whiskey, are preferred additions to Southern style iced.

Iced tea has become popular in recent years as a mixed drink called an "Arnold Palmer" or a "Half and Half". This consists of half sweetened iced tea and half lemonade, which makes for an even sweeter drink than usual, but with a small note of sourness as properly. A half and half can also be half unsweetened and half sweetened tea, which cuts the super sweet taste of most Southern drinks. In the Southeast, this is commonly called a "Chris Rock" as this comedian came from South Carolina.

Bags are still a common means of brewing iced tea, mostly for the convenience factor and the low price. Far more and extra, consumers are turning to loose leaves then again for preparing their iced tea given that of the wide range of flavors, and the fact that brews from loose leaves has a fuller, richer flavor, and is commonly a higher top quality as properly.

No matter how it is ready, iced tea is here to remain!