Iced tea
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Iced tea is a form of cold tea, often served in a glass over ice. Iced tea may come in many different flavours, the most common of which is lemon, although others include raspberry, lime and cherry.
The main manufacturers of iced tea are Nestea, Lipton, Snapple and AriZona Beverage.
History
Prior to the mid-1800s, tea, when served cold, was referred to as tea punch and was typically spiked with alcohol. These punches had names such as Regent's Punch, Charleston's Saint Cecilia Punch, and Chatham Artillery Punch. Iced tea was popularised at the 1904 Saint Louis World's Fair.Iced tea by country
Belgium
In Belgium, [Ice Tea] is the brand name of a carbonated variety of iced tea marketed by Lipton since 1978. They also market a number of other non-carbonated iced teas under the "Ice Tea" brand. Other companies have followed suit but use variations on the name. American iced tea is not well-known in Belgium.United States
In the United States, iced tea is often sweetened. Thai iced tea is iced Thai tea sweetened with sweetened condensed milk. Fruit flavored iced teas are most popular, but unflavored iced tea can be quite satisfying. It is often helpful to allow iced tea to cool to room temperature before refrigerating it to prevent the formation of condensates, which give the tea a cloudy appearance, and a chalkier taste. Unsweetened iced tea is best sweetened with simple syrup, as granulated sugar doesn't completely dissolve in the cold tea; restaurants usually give the customer the choice of sweetened or unsweetened tea as a result. Honey makes an excellent sweetener for iced unsweetened chai tea.Iced tea is traditionally served with a slice of lemon on the rim of the glass. In the Southwest United States, lime is also very popular (especially in Mexican restaurants). It is not uncommon for establishments to put out slices of both lemon and lime for the customer to take for themselves.
Iced tea's popularity in the United States has led to an addition to standard flatware sets; the iced tea spoon is a standard flatware teaspoon, but with a long handle, suitable for stirring sugar into the taller glasses commonly used for iced tea.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, Lipton sold their carbonated iced tea, similar to the one on sale in Belgium, but the drink disappeared from shelves in the mid-90s. However, recently Lipton (this time non-carbonated) has returned to general sale, quickly followed by Nestea.See also
External links
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