Orethapedia

As the temperature heats up in June, it’s a perfect time to celebrate National Iced Tea Month!
Brewing the ideal pitcher of iced tea is a matter of taste. Depending on your taste, you may prefer sun tea, sweet tea or unsweetened tea. Perhaps your palate leans more toward a fruitier tea or a stronger type of tea.

As long as it’s iced, June is the month your tea is celebrated.
Iced tea was made as early as the 1870s, but an English merchant by the name of Richard Belchynden brought the beverage to popularity. During the 1904 World’s Fair in St. Louis temperatures began to soar. Belchynden crossed the Atlantic to sell black tea steeped hot and served to the American public. Under the conditions, fairgoers were interested in cooler beverages. Belchynden needed to switch strategies, or he would have no sales. By brewing a stronger tea and pouring it over ice, the merchant created a new product to sell.

HOW TO OBSERVE
Pour yourself a glass of iced tea and enjoy! What is your favorite way to enjoy it? Kicking back on the porch or with a good friend? Use #NationalIcedTeaMonth to let us know on social media.

Here are some great ices tea recipes.

Raspberry Iced Tea

Ingredient Checklist
1 gallon water
3 (3 ounce) gallon-size tea bags
1 cup fresh raspberries
½ cup white sugar
½ cup powdered lemonade mix (such as Country Time®)
ice cubes

Bring the water to a boil in a large pot, and stir in the tea bags, raspberries, and sugar until the sugar has dissolved. Allow the mixture to steep until the desired level of tea flavor is reached, 3 to 5 minutes; remove tea bags, and stir in the lemonade mix until dissolved. Pour tea into pitchers, and add ice to cool.

Peach Orange Iced Tea

Ingredient Checklist
1 large fresh peach, sliced
1 clementine, peeled and segmented
1 tablespoon white sugar, or to taste
8 cups boiling water
4 Earl Grey tea bags

Place peach, clementine, and sugar in a pitcher. Mash the fruit using a spoon; add water and tea bags and stir. Refrigerate until cool, about 1 hour. Remove fruit and tea bags using a slotted spoon.