Drinking Tea – The American Style
Coffee is the nation’s more popular beverage, but the tea culture is alive and thriving. The US consumes a surprising amount of tea. Tea drinking is common practice in homes, offices, and cafes throughout the country. Americans consume over three billion gallons of tea each year.
How do you consume your tea? Hot, right? Well maybe not you, but most Indians like their tea hot. When you visit the US, do not assume that all tea is hot. So, when you crave a cup of tea, make sure to let the waiter or host know when ordering to make sure they don’t accidentally bring you an iced one. They won’t automatically know that you’re craving a nice, hot cup of chai.
According to the Tea Association of the USA, about 85% of the tea consumed is iced. Iced tea could be considered the American tea culture’s signature twist on the classic hot beverage. In some restaurants, your tea will come with a slice of lemon or a small amount of honey. If you want to milk in your tea, you might have to chase down a waiter and ask for “cream.” Americans serve cream with their coffee and tea, which tastes absolutely fine; it’s not as thick as the cream you’d pour over a dessert, but a lot thicker than milk. You will get a small jug of milk if you insist, but it might take a while.
Coffee Shops and Cafes
Coffee shops and cafes are quite common in the US, where a beverage like tea or coffee is sipped while meeting friends, taking a break, or working. Coffee shops have played an important role in evolving the American tea culture with an ever-expanding list of options of teas. Cafes now offer gourmet tea options such as iced chai, tea lattes, and fruity tea blends.
Although tea rooms and speciality tea shops do exist and are currently on the rise, you are more likely to find American enthusiasts sipping their favourite beverage at the local cafe or coffee shop.
Americans love a good treat! And a good treat in the US is tea made from ice, whipped cream, and a delicious array of flavour blends. Although these teas are very popular, they are not a regular part of the daily diet in America. Most Americans would consider these elaborate tea drinks “treats”. These blended teas have a lot of sugar and calories. In fact, one blended tea drink can have more than 500 calories! They consider these drinks to have on a special occasion.
Bagged, Loose, and Speciality Teas
Tea Bag
The tea bag originated in the United States around the turn of the 20th century. It has become very popular in the US and elsewhere due to its ease of use. The teabag allows for quickly and comfortably brewing a strong cup of tea, making it well-suited for the American lifestyle and a notable aspect of their tea culture.
When buying tea bags here, look carefully at the labels. Much of it will be iced tea bags, which aren’t made for hot tea and don’t brew as well. If this is your only option, you’d be better off buying loose black tea and a strainer or an infuser.
Loose Leaf Teas
Although less popular than tea bags, loose tea is still enjoyed by tea aficionados and serious tea drinkers. Loose tea takes more effort than tea bags but is of higher quality and have better flavour.
Speciality Teas
Speciality teas are gaining popularity in American tea culture, with many companies making their own signature blends. The possibilities seem to be endless. Tea leaves are used as a base and then mixed with fruits, flowers, and spices to create fun and unique flavours.
Dessert blends feature flavours like chocolate and caramel and fruity varieties exhibit dabs of black currant or acai berries. The popular chai incorporates cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom.
Brief US Tea History
Tea was first introduced to the US by Dutch settlers in the 1600s. The fondness for tea continued after the colonies came under British control. English tea-drinking customs were adopted in cities like Boston and Philadelphia. The colonies were trading with England to get their tea, which was heavily taxed by Parliament and monopolized by the British East India Company.
The colonists were mad that there was a monopoly on tea imports. So, they protested this monopoly and the issue of “taxation without representation.” On December 16, 1773, colonists raided three tea ships that had just arrived with black tea from China and threw more than 45 tons of tea overboard and into the Boston Harbour. This event, known as the Boston Tea Party, was a precursor to the American Revolution.
In 1834, East India Company lost its monopoly and tea could be freely traded. Americans entered the world of the tea trade with clipper ships. These sleek new ships brought tea from China more quickly than the British ships. The United States continues to be one of the largest importers of tea.
Wish you have a happy tea experience in the US!
Also, there is this Long Island Iced Tea which you can enjoy; it’s a delicious, alcoholic beverage made with vodka, gin, tequila, and rum.
By the way, how do you like your tea?
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