The Problem of Iced Tea, and Two Solutions

[lwood]

Tea.

Almost everyone in Europe, Asia, Australia, and North America have something to say about tea, and here I strictly mean the (variously) prepared leaves of Camellia sinensis, steeped in water.

Comments

[brannen]

What of cucumber water? I seem to remember that being used as a cooling drink, though it's been some years.

[lwood]

That's also tasty--and easier than either of the above two. I'd add some mint along with the cucumbers to enhance the effect, too.

-- Lorrie

[lisa_marli]

Nah, my husband just pre-brewed iced tea and brought it with him in the cooler. A brown liquid is a brown liquid. Could be whisky (he is Irish), but if you see Arrigan of Kerry drinking something out of a big wooden goblet, it is Really Iced Tea. Since Ice is hard to come by at Tourneys, we just kept it chilled in the cooler and he was happy

[bearfairie]

Tasty beverages ftw!

I suppose technically, any herb you boil in water (that is not of the family Camellia sinensis) is actually a decoction (when you start adding meat or veggies you're now entering into soup/stew territoriy, of course); while any non-Camellia sinensis herb allowed to steep is an infusion, and many things can make for a tasty beverage when hot or cold infused... fruit, cucumbers, mint, chamomile, ginger, cloves, kittens... (just kidding - then there's fur in your beverage and they drip all over your furniture when they leap out of the pitcher...)

I haven't tried quinoa water.... I have no idea if that would be awesome or gross (I'm remembering that odd quinoa smoothie thing we shared at some point... you know, the alarmingly lavender colored one...). Teff has an interesting enough flavor that I might try that grain instead of quinoa. hm.

yay tasty beverage adventures!

[keristor]

Ah, so the difference between a decoction and an infusion is whether it is boiled or steeped? Presumably the period matters (being English I insist that tea is made with boiling water (and the pot warmed first), but it only stays boiling for a few seconds and after that it steeps in the water). I'd wondered, because a lot of people seem to use them interchangeably (many more, of course, refer to both as 'tea').

I don't like cold tea (and dislike all forms of coffee). There are a few teas I like black (certain Assam/Ceylon blends), most with milk, all with sugar. I don't like the 'perfumed' ones like Earl Grey...

(Pity Gatorade isn't period. Not that it stops the fighters drinking a lot of it...)

[lonespark]

Your posts are always so fascinating!

[nicanthiel]

There's also things like small beer, ginger beer/ale, birch beer, ciders, and if you're oriented to Eastern Europe, kvass.