Takeout: Iced tea

June 18, 2008

Teavana's Himalayan Majectic was refreshing. (Sun photo by Rob Kasper / June 12, 2008)

On a sweltering day in 1904 a tea huckster, India Tea Commissioner Richard Blechynden, was having a hard time convincing visitors to the St. Louis World's Fair to sample his hot tea. So he put the tea in large bottles, flipped them upside down and let the tea flow through iced lead pipes.

Iced tea, minus the lead pipes, has, according to the Tea Association of the United States of America, been a part of American summer ever since.

I confined my sampling of iced teas to what I call conventional teas - no mango or peach flavors - served in tea emporiums. I will save the exotic teas for another hot day. If you have a favorite unusual iced tea, shoot me an e-mail.

Best sip

>>>Teavana

Address // Lower level of The Mall in Columbia, 10300 Little Patuxent Parkway (another store in Towson Town Center)

Phone // 410-740-1187

Hours // 10 a.m-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday

With the help of a savvy clerk, I narrowed my selection to black tea, and from there to Himalayan Majestic. The tea, $4.23 for 20 ounces, had a beautiful copper, orange color and deep, complex flavors. Without sugar, it was a bit tart. After a couple of shots of German rock cane sugar dissolved in hot water, it became a refreshing remedy to an uncomfortable day.

Best bargain

>>>Chocolatea

Address // 3811 Canterbury Road

Phone // 410-366-0095

Hours // 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday- Wednesday, 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Thursday-Friday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday

The Lemonade Iced Tea, 20 ounces for $2.50, is a classic mix of lemon, sugar and Earl Grey tea. This is an iced tea for folks with a soft spot for lemon and sugar.

Also tasted

>>>Teavolve

Address // 1705 Eastern Ave.

Phone // 410-327-4832

Hours // 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Tuesday- Sunday

I picked a blended black tea, sweet orange and honey, from the impressive selection of loose teas. The tea, $3.18 for 24 ounces, had a winning copper color, but the honey flavor was too strong for me. It got even stronger with a couple of packets of Hawaiian sugar.

Note: Another Teavolve is scheduled to open this month at 1401 Aliceanna St. When it does, the Eastern Avenue store will be open only on weekends, 11 a.m. -7 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday. The Aliceanna store hours will be 7:30 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday.

Know of a good carryout? Write to rob.kasper@baltsun.com.

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