A Brief History of Iced Tea

Image courtesy of Harney.com

Have you ever wondered where that iced tea you are sipping originated from? Most people just slurp it down and probably have no need for exploring the history of it.  But — if you are on this site, then you are probably a tea lover like me and might just find a bit of iced tea history interesting.

The first iced tea recipe was probably made with green tea leaves instead of black tea like today.  In 1879, a Southern based magazine printed an iced tea recipe by Marion Cabell Tyree.  She advised to boil the leaves and then steep all day.  After doing so, she told readers to fill goblets with ice, throw in 2 teaspoons of sugar and then pour the steeped tea in and add lemon. Not a lot has changed over the years except for the type of tea leaves used.

Culinary instructor, Mrs. D.A (Mary) Lincoln released her recipe for iced tea calling for cold black tea to be poured over cracked ice, lemon and exactly two sugar cubes. Interestingly enough, we think of sweet tea as staple of the Southern United States. Lincoln’s version of the tea drink was developed, however, at her cooking school in Boston.

Near the turn of the century, iced tea became more of a necessity than a planned beverage of choice.  Tea vendors looking to make a quick buck in the sweltering heat would simply serve their tea cold rather than hot.  The result showed up not only as a rise in sales but also as a beverage phenomenon that is still popular today.