Iced Tea
April 16, 2010 | 
Author Although some Chinese emperor was likely drinking it long before Christ, modern iced tea was invented out of necessity at the St. Louis World’s Fair in June, 1904.
Until that time the tea market in the U.S. was dominated by China, so Indian tea growers got themselves an opulent pavillion at the fair and staffed it with waiters in traditional Indian garb who were well trained in the art of proper tea service. St. Louis in the summer is hot and humid enough, but this year a heat wave struck.
The hot Indian hot tea pavillion was empty and Englishman Richard Blechynden (sounds Welsh to me), who was in charge of the pavillion, had the ingenious idea of purchasing ice from the ice vendors and pouring the tea over it.
It was not only an instant success, but today in the U.S. iced tea accounts for some 85% of all tea sales, not to mention that India made a big splash in the U.S. tea market. Coincidentally, the tea bag was first sold commercially in the U.S. the very same year, but that story will make tomorrow’s blog.
Roland Petrov
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