Tea Blog

The History of Iced Tea

ICED TEA & THE COLD BREW CONTINGENT

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Before ice was cool it was water

June is National Iced Tea month and in honor of this holiday we'll be offering some deep knowledge and deeper discounts to help keep you intellectually and actually insulated in the impending summer months. So, while your sipping on that sweaty beverage we offer you some fodder from the pages of history. We're going to unearth how tea went from hot to cold in two easy moves. The story behind iced tea's transformation from Midwest flare to world class fare.

The idea of icing this beverage is as old and celebrated as the union of this fair country.  However, the advent and origin are wildly debated. Cookbooks and confederacies touted the incorporation of cold cubes and crisp flavors as early as the 1840's. The Kentucky Housewife was one of the first periodicals to preach the gospel of this lovely libation calling it "Cold-Tea" and even articulating a recipe calling for "scalding" your kettle and then adding 2 teaspoons of green tea to it. Hard to believe given we see so much black tea these days, but then Chinese and Japanese green dominated the market prior to World War I & II.

However, the most widely distributed tout of truth brings us nearly half a century later at the St. Louis fair where, Richard Blechynden, director of the East India pavilion, became frustrated as he tried to offer samples of the hot stuff in the midst of the sweltering Midwest summer. His idea had not yet inoculated this beverage with sub-zero cubed delight; instead he channeled his brewed benevolence through a series of lead pipes immersed in ice resulting in a cool, refreshing beverage that tamed the tongues of fair goers alike.

Today, the newest of iterations have begun to emerge in the way of something known as "cold brewing". This is an idea that incorporates steeping the leaves of the tea for longer periods of time and at much lower temperatures to abide a full-strength non-ice necessitating refreshment. The resulting infusion lends itself to a softer, silkier palate and at full strength. Zhi Tea is proud to have been an early originator providing cold brew at zhitea.com since 2011 and we are overjoyed to see the trend taking off with a swift "can't stop won't stop" attitude.

As the summer season opens up and we find a revitalization in the newness of our own lives, perhaps cleansing the palate with the crisp and fervent flavors of an icy libation becomes necessary; something that reminds us of backyard barbeques, new beginnings and better times to come.

Recipe Box: “Pretty-in-Pink” Palmer Tea Punch

Show your sweet side by sharing a batch of this pretty pink tea. A romantic adaptation of the popular Arnold Palmer, this punch is ease and elegance.

Even the most casual cook won’t be able to escape Cupid’s culinary arrow this time…there are only 2 ingredients necessary!
Feeling fancy? Consider garnishing your mocktail with bright red hibiscus tea ice cube hearts. You can also use edible flowers! Directions below.
“Pretty-in-Pink” Palmer 
  • Prep/Total Time: 10 min.
  • Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 teaspoons Zhi’s White Pomegranate tea
  • 4 cups hot water
  • 4 cups cold water
  • 1 can (12 ounces) frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

Directions

  • In a punch bowl or gallon pitcher, add pink lemonade concentrate and 4 cups cold water. Mix well to dissolve.
  • Make your tea. Take your 12 teaspoons of dry tea leaves and steep in the four cups of hot water. Steep for 3 minutes. (Yes, this is making it a bit strong, but it’s intentional :)
  • Strain out leaves. Chill tea and then add to lemonade.
  • Garnish with strawberry slices, mint leaves or tea ice cubes if desired. Serve immediately. Yield: 10 servings (12 oz. portions).
Note: To make tea ice cubes and molds, arrange chemical-free edible flowers in a heart or ring mold. Consider using hibiscus tea like Zhi’s Berry Hibiscus or Blood Orange. Steep beforehand according to steeping instructions. Then, when the tea is cool, carefully add enough liquid to partially cover flowers as they rest in their tray. Freeze. Then, add enough water to cover flowers up to your desired level; then, freeze again.

Monday Mashup: High Kick

high kick teaFor a spark of energy at the start of February, we whipped up a pot of our newly invented brew that we’re calling High Kick. This mix of  Zhi Tea’s yerba mate and ginger and lime green rooibos offers grassy notes and intensity from the yerba that complement the bold, bright and citrusy rooibos, resulting in a refreshing beverage. 

Although we tried our concoction piping hot, we think it’d be just as delicious iced for the summer months. Try it straight or add a dash of agave nectar for a sweeter treat. Either way, we’re confident this Monday Mashup will entice your senses and delight your tastebuds.

Love is Brewing!

Love is BrewingYes, there are a million reasons to hate Valentine’s Day; we know. But, after the initial wave of cynicism passes, it’s almost impossible for us not to get excited about a day that celebrates Love. Don’t you agree? 

This year, don’t let the inevitable commercialism prevent you from getting excited about connecting with those you care about. As you know, the smallest gestures, the quickest glances, and the softest touches are often the most meaningful. Naturally, all of these qualities are present in Zhi’s true love: tea. 

What do you love about tea? Which special someone will enjoy a cuppa with you this Valentine’s Day? 

Consider sending your favorite rose tea to a far away friend so you can share a cup long-distance. Find a fun Valentine’s recipe to make and share with the office. Or, craft a handmade card to share with your sweetheart (while drinking tea, of course). Host a pretty pink Valentine’s Tea Party with your favorite gal pals.

No matter how you surrender to Cupid’s arrow, we know it will be remembered fondly.

Zhi partners with Rye & the Good Food Awards to celebrate America’s food culture

This weekend, food artisans from all over the country gathered in San Fransisco to attend the national Good Food Awards. 

An effort to celebrate and share the culinary achievements in categories like cheese, preserves, coffee and spirits, the Good Food Awards celebrate the kind of food we all want to eat. Tasty, authentic and responsibly produced, these artisan food makers (like Zhi) truly take pride in their work and are grateful for such a supportive foodie culture. This means you!

One year, Zhi hopes that they’ll have a category for tea (wink). Meanwhile, we were honored and flattered when asked to sponsor the event by providing tea to be used at the Awards Ceremony and private parties. Then, we learned that Greg Lindgren of Rye was going to be crafting signature tea cocktails with Zhi as well. Cheers, indeed! He’s been generous to share his recipe for one of the drinks they’ll be serving below.

Learn more about the Good Food Awards and see this year’s winners, as we offer a special congratulations to our Texan friends as well. Pinkies up!

The Grey Lady

Ingredients:

¾ ounce bergamot oleo saccharum

¾ ounce lemon juice

1 ounce Zhi Earl Grey liquid tea made double strength

1 1/2 ounce gin

1 egg white

Garnish: lemon twist

Instructions: Measure all the ingredients into a mixing glass. Add ice and shake hard to a 10-second count. Strain into a chilled martini glass, 1/2 rimmed with sugar, and garnish with a lemon twist.

Rooibos-Tea-Infused Cherry Scones – Recipe for Success

With our Austin appreciation picnic coming up this Sunday, the last of our 5th anniversary events, we’re digging around for some delectable treats to cook up for the party.

We like tea-infused-just-about-anything, but we’re especially excited about this tea-infused cherry scones recipe from Tea Time magazine.

If you, too, are looking for the perfect tea treat recipe, we think this one is bound to be a crowd-pleaser. Baked with dried cherries, heavy cream, and our fair trade organic rooibos tea leaves, these scones are totally poised for greatness.

Whip up a batch for yourselves or bake some for our potluck-style picnic this weekend. Share a few with us, and we know who’s going to be our best friend at the party!