The history of iced tea
Iced tea is a refreshing beverage synonymous with summer, relaxation and hospitality. The first known iced tea recipe was recorded back in 1876 and soon became an important drink when served at the 1904 World’s Fair. Soon the word of this delicious drink began to spread around the world.
Originally made with black tea, it can also be prepared from green, white or herbal tea depending on your preferred taste. While now iced tea is readily available in cans and plastic bottles it was traditionally made in large batches and served from a pitcher with a generous amount of ice either sweetened or unsweetened.
Make flash-chilled iced tea
Featuring two stackable, sculpturally designed Steep & Chill™ pitchers, our Tea Over Ice® Pitcher Set combines form and function to elevate iced tea to a higher level.
- Place a Tea Over Ice infuser in the the heat-resistant top pitcher, add hot water.
- Fill the larger pitcher with ice and stack the smaller pitcher on top.
- Serve at the table and let your guests admire the infuser releasing it's flavors and colors, dancing through the water as you wait for it to steep.
- After 5 minutes, pour the hot tea over the ice in the lower pitcher. Enjoy immediately!
We offer 6 varieties of gourmet iced tea blends. Ceylon Gold (black tea), Orange Papaya (black tea), Green Mango Peach (green tea), White Ginger Pear (white tea), Raspberry Nectar (herbal tea) and Blueberry Merlot (herbal tea) all blended to perfection for an exceptional iced tea experience. Once you’ve found a favorite blend, stock up for your summer parties. Each box contains 5 maxi pyramids to brew one pitcher of iced tea.
Tea Over Ice from Tea Forté
No added sugar
No artificial additives
No artificial sweetener
How to make classic iced tea with loose tea
If you prefer to make iced tea with your favorite loose tea - then it is also quite simple. Prepare a pot of hot tea the way you normally would, following the temperature and timing guidelines recommended for the variety of tea you’re using.
Guidelines
- Black tea should be made with water heated to 97 degrees Celcius and brewed for three to five minutes.
- Herbal tea should also be made with 97 decrees Celcius water, but steeped for five minutes or more to bring out its full flavor.
- White and green teas are best prepared with water heated to a slightly cooler 80 degrees, and they should only be steeped for two to three minutes to avoid bitterness.
For a full batch, brew your tea using a 1:1 ratio of teaspoonsful of loose leaf tea to cups of water. If you like your tea strong, add an extra serving or two of tea as you steep the batch. If you like it sweet, add your desired amount of sugar while the water is still hot and stir until melted. You can also use honey as a natural sweetener.
Once brewed, pour your hot tea into a glass pitcher and refrigerate it for at least four hours. Serve it chilled over ice and add a slice of citrus or sprig of fresh mint to each glass if you desire and it fits with the tea you chose. We recommend our green tea with mint: Morrocan Mint or for a floral iced tea, consider a blend like Hanami, an impressionistic cherry blossom green tea. For a caffeine free iced tea try our African Solstice - a true crowd pleaser with a natural sweet taste.
Happy Summer!
