June is National Iced Tea Month

June is National Iced Tea Month

It just wouldn’t be summer without a thirst quenching glass of iced tea. 80% of all tea consumed in the USA are iced; the majority of these being sold during the summer months.

Drinking iced tea is a tasty way to keep cool and hydrated during the heat of the summer. It may also be more than a thirst quencher, especially among those looking for a refreshing antioxidant boost.

Research suggests a strong connection between drinking tea regularly and potential health benefits. These same studies show that freshly brewed iced tea contains the highest levels of antioxidants. No matter how you drink it - iced or hot, toast your health this June with a tall class of refreshing iced tea.


ICED TEA ETIQUETTE 

The iced tea spoon has a long handle, and after being used is laid on the small service plate or coaster which should be placed under the iced beverage glass. However, when no such plate or coaster has been provided, and if this is not a luncheon where you could rest the spoon on the rim of your butter or luncheon plate, as you would with a spoon for a coffee mug, then leave the spoon in the glass and drink with the handle held against the far side with your finger. This is awkward but correct.

 CLOUDS IN THE GLASS? 

As people experiment with iced drinks, many are frustrated by cloudy iced tea. “Clouding” refers to the opaque, fog-like appearance of a tea’s liquor that sometimes occurs after brewing. It is generally seen as a negative quality because people assume that tea should be completely transparent. Some believe that cloudiness is an indication of poor quality tea, that it contains foreign particulates or that it will adversely affect flavor even though, in reality, clouding has no impact on taste. The problem is made worse because iced tea tends to be served in clear glasses, displaying the “defect” for all to see.

There are two reasons that iced teas become cloudy:

1. Hard water which contains high concentrations of minerals when brewed with tea can form

visible solids which do not dissolve at cooler temperatures.

2. The natural building blocks of tea are thought to cause the clouding, especially theaflavins. If the tea cools too quickly the theaflavins will not remain suspended and the teas will cloud.

Solutions:

1. Allow the tea to come to room temperature before putting it into the fridge or adding ice.

2. If the tea has already clouded, add a tiny bit of hot water to it before serving.

3. Make sure that you are steeping in water that’s minerally balanced.

 

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