Did you know that next to water, tea is the most consumed
beverage in the world? In 2017, Americans consumed over 84 billion servings of tea, or more than 3.8 billion gallons.
Approximately 85 per cent of the tea consumed in America is
iced. I don’t have statistics to verify it, but I’d guess most of the iced tea
consumed is in the south and when you order tea in South Carolina, it’s assumed
it’s sweet tea. Is there any other way to serve it? It’s culture in a glass, the signature beverage of the south.
Many stories have circulated regarding the origin of iced tea.
The most widely accepted is its introduction at the 1904 World’s Fair in St.
Louis. Richard Blechynden, an American merchant promoting teas from India and
Ceylon, offered cups of hot tea to passersby. On a steaming hot day, people
wanted to cool off, not drink hot tea. In desperation, Blechynden poured his
tea over a vat of ice and iced tea was born. Even though other stories
circulate about the origin of iced tea, this desperate tea merchant is credited
with popularizing and commercializing a fairly unknown beverage.
What a serendipty!
