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Some like it hot.
But mostly, we like it iced — and here in the Midlands, unsweetened. And by and large, we take our iced tea unflavored, unless you count a little squirt of lemon.
Still, flavored and loose-leaf teas are gaining in popularity — as is green tea.
June is iced tea month, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to check in with Tim Smith, owner of the Tea Smith at 78th and Dodge Streets, about the perfect glass of iced tea and the perfect way to brew it.
Q: So what is it that’s so refreshing about iced tea?
A: That’s a good question. Tea in and of itself contains things that refresh a person. It’s got caffeine; that’s a good thing for most people. It contains amino acids.
Then the addition of some nice flavors, fruit flavors come summertime, it’s just a nice pick-you-up.
With loose-leaf tea in particular, you’re not adding a bunch of sugars that tend to slow the body down.
Americans are about the only ones in the world that drink much iced tea. In India, they think the hot beverage cools them off. In Asian counties, they think iced tea imbalances the chi.
(Americans) have been drinking iced tea since before the turn of the century. One rumor, that’s not quite right, is that it was invented at the 1904 World’s Fair. It was 100 degrees that week, (so a tea merchant) put ice in there, and it became a big hit. Cookbooks back into the late 1800s talk about making iced tea, though.
Q: Is it just me or does tea taste totally different iced than it does hot?
A: It definitely does. Different flavor profiles come out when you drink it iced.
Q: Sun tea was all the rage in the ’70s. Then some of us did the Mr. Coffee-like iced tea maker. Now there’s “cold-brew” bags. What’s really the best way to make iced tea?
A: We do four methods for the perfect iced teas: impatient, patient, cold infusion and party method. (See The Perfect Brew.)
Everybody asks about sun tea. It’s a good method for tea bags, because it brews at a low temperature. Tea bags have a tendency to get bitter. That doesn’t happen (with sun tea).
The problem is, you have wet plant matter in tepid water, that’s a breeding place for bacteria. We recommend the cold infusion method instead.
Q: I’ve heard some people say you should use cold water instead of hot. True?
A: Tea is 95 percent water, so get the best water that you can. Fresh cold water, it’s got a lot of oxygen in there, keeps a lively flavor.
Microwaving your water is a no-no. It kind of boils the air out of it. It makes a huge difference in flavor.
(Smith recounted the story of one customer, in particular, who was extremely dubious that the cordless kettle he sold her would really make tea taste better than water heated in the microwave. She returned raving about how much better her tea tasted.)
Q: Is green tea better for you than black tea?
A: All tea comes from the same plant, whether it’s white, green, oolong or black. All have caffeine, antioxidants. The difference is how it’s processed. Oxidation changes the composition of the antioxidants.
Antioxidants in green tea have been studied pretty extensively for their effects on cancer, cardiac health.
Black teas are very healthy as well. They’ve been shown to help regulate blood sugars in some cases and to help with viral illnesses like the cold or flu.
Q: If you want to create a fruity tea at home, how do you go about that?
A: The popular thing now is to buy pitchers and put fresh fruit in them. That’s a nice way to sweeten up tea without adding calories.
We do a lot of seasonal teas. One is Summer Companion. That’s a nice strong black tea (with berry flavors).
We just added one called Mango Mayhem. It’s a black tea with lighter fruit flavors.
One of our most popular green teas is Sweet Pomegranate.
Rooibos is an herbal that makes a great iced beverage. It’s naturally caffeine free — makes a great alternative for those trying to avoid caffeine and sugar.
If you want a straight black tea, Ceylon Star offers a great smooth, strong-tasting flavor without bitterness.
Contact the writer:
444-1219, susan.white@owh.com
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