{"product_id":"baja-iced-tea-blend-black-tea","title":"BAJA ICED TEA BLEND","description":"\u003cspan\u003eCup has burgundy depth and malty highlights. A thirst quenching finish. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c!-- split --\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tabs\"\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca class=\"active\" href=\"#tab1\"\u003eDescription\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#tab2\"\u003eProduct Information\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003ca href=\"#tab3\"\u003eBrewing Instructions\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cul class=\"tabs-content\"\u003e\n\u003cli class=\"active\" id=\"tab1\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe world of tea is filled with myth, legend, and controversy. In fact, there isn't a tea blend out there that doesn't have a story attached to it. Iced tea is no exception. It is commonly held as fact that iced tea was invented by a tea plantation owner named Richard Blechynden looking to drum up some business at the 1904 World's fair in St. Louis Missouri. The story goes that Richard initially intended to hand out free samples of his hot tea. The weather in St. Louis that year was above seasonal however and few visitors seemed interested in sampling his steaming hot product. As a novelty, Richard decided to drop some ice into his teapots and began to serve the tea cold. The result was a hit and iced tea went on to become one of the most popular beverages in North America.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGood story right? The World's fair...exceedingly hot day...enterprising entrepreneur...the stuff legends are made of. Well, if iced tea was invented in St. Louis in 1904, then how do you explain the details of an article published September 28, 1890 issue of the \u003cem\u003eNevada Noticer\u003c\/em\u003e newspaper? The article in question describes a mammoth sized barbecue prepared for 15,000 Confederate veterans over two days in late September of that same year. It details the menu thusly:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eThe following figures will convey some idea of the amount of provisions used at Camp Jackson during the recent encampment. \u003c\/em\u003e\u003cem\u003eThere were 4,800 pounds of bread, 11,705 pounds of beef, 407 pounds of ham, 21 sheep, 600 pounds of sugar, 6 bushels of beans, 60 gallons of pickles, and a wagon load of potatoes. It was all washed down with 2,200 gallons of coffee and 880 gallons of iced tea. \u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e880 gallons of iced tea! It should be noted here that this article, published 14 years before the St. Louis world's fair, mentions iced tea without having to offer an explanation as to what that was exactly. This would seem to indicate that tea poured over ice was something that the article's readers were already familiar with!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSo what are we to make of all of this? Well, there is no doubt that iced tea was served at the World's fair. One school of thought holds that iced tea, while perhaps not invented at the fair, was indeed popularized there. Whichever story you are inclined to believe we can all agree that iced tea is one of the world's most refreshing beverages. When it's hot out, the tea is brewed, poured over ice, and garnished with lemon and a dash of sugar, nothing else compares.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn our effort to infuse the iced tea story with a little more controversy, we'll tell you that what we have to offer here is the world's first \u003cem\u003eperfect\u003c\/em\u003e iced tea blend. Perfection is a tall order, but we're confident that this blend of a high grown Ceylon from the Nuwara Eliya district of Sri Lanka, and a full bodied black tea from Anhui province in China is just that. This claim is sure to draw its detractors and we're Ok with that. Brew yourself a pitcher full and let us know what you think! Cheers!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"tab2\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eTea Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Black\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCountry:\u003c\/strong\u003e China, Sri Lanka\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eRegion:\u003c\/strong\u003e Anhui, Nuwara Eliya\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGrade:\u003c\/strong\u003e FOP (Flowery Orange Pekoe)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eAltitude:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2500 ft, 5500 ft. above sea level\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eManufacturer Type:\u003c\/strong\u003e Orthodox\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIngredients: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eLuxury black tea.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCup Characteristics: \u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cspan\u003eCup has burgundy depth and malty highlights. A thirst quenching finish. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eInfusion: \u003c\/strong\u003eBright and coppery, wonderful depth.\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli id=\"tab3\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrewing Hot\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBring freshly drawn cold water to a rolling boil. Place 1 teaspoon of tea for each cup into the teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot. Cover and let steep for 3-7 minutes according to taste (the longer the steeping time the stronger the tea). Even though milk and a dash of sugar help enhance the flavor character on this tea, it is perfectly acceptable to consume this tea straight-up.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBrewing Cold\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e(to make 1 liter\/quart): Place 6 teaspoons of tea into a teapot or heat resistant pitcher. Pour 1 1\/4 cups of freshly boiled water over the tea. Steep for 5 minutes. Quarter fill a serving pitcher with cold water. Pour the tea into your serving pitcher straining the leaves. Add ice and top-up the pitcher with cold water. Garnish and sweeten to taste. [A rule of thumb when preparing fresh brewed iced tea is to double the strength of hot tea since it will be poured over ice and diluted with cold water].\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"The Specialist Tea Company","offers":[{"title":"100 g","offer_id":1867189121,"sku":"266-100","price":10.21,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"250 g","offer_id":1867189249,"sku":"266-250","price":19.85,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"500 g","offer_id":1867189313,"sku":"266-500","price":30.07,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true},{"title":"1 kg","offer_id":1867189377,"sku":"266-1000","price":56.73,"currency_code":"CAD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0786\/3859\/products\/266.jpeg?v=1442448951","url":"https:\/\/coasttocoasttea.ca\/products\/baja-iced-tea-blend-black-tea","provider":"Coast To Coast Tea","version":"1.0","type":"link"}