Combos have always been an exciting aspect of our lives. Mixing things half and a half makes them more appealing. In this article, we are mixing tea with half and half.
Half and half, the term can be applied to every beverage or food item made up of two equal parts. This technique of “half and half” was first used for making an exceptional kind of tea. Its historical roots are also fascinating.
History of Tea with Half and Half
1. The role of Arnold Palmer
Its history is dated back to Arnold Palmer, who first used a combination of iced tea and lemonade. Sounds strange? Exactly it is.
For the first time, Arnold Palmer was regarded as the most famous American Golfer, who used this term and asked for a half and half drink. His name is attached to this half and half phenomenon which is made a brand later on.
In that era of popularity, a film features it as well. A scene in which a woman orders the same beverage after a long golf day saying that, I will prefer having “Arnold Palmer” tea.
2. How it got the name “Half and Half”?
Palmer usually preferred having three parts of unsweetened tea and one part of lemonade, but it is called “half and a half” when mixed.
This drink became so popular that it started being served as a snack. Even when Arnold Palmer arrived in his hometown with his wife, he did not order it. He never had to order this beverage as people understood that it would be served.
3. How it Become a Brand?
It got viral because a famous person has introduced a new term. So, people started marketing and commercial selling of the product under his name. So, this drink started being sold as a brand, and Arnold’s trademark term was always used as Innovative flavors agreed with him.
Another beverage company in 2002 started selling and marketing this drink. Many brands also used Arnold’s Palmer’s picture and signatures to help brand and product promotion.
Later, many flavors got famous with half and half, including Sweet tea with pink lemonade and green tea. Later on, it was sold by many other renowned companies.
Isn’t it interesting how the hands of a famous personality made the simple beverage, “A Brand?”
4. Transformation of Half and Half
With time, this “half and half” term did not stick to the tea only and attached with other beverages, which spread like a web and became trending. It was a common trend in coffee shops having menus mentioning half and half. And drinks having half coffee and half chocolate gain popularity.
A flavor of soda combined with a taste of lemon was another form of drink cherished a lot. Half coffee combined with half milk became a favorite beverage in Switzerland as well.
Top 5 Half and Half Drinks with Tea
1. Half and Half Tea with Lemonade
Adding lemon juice into tea, drinks, and beverages has become a new trend in town. It gives a sharp and sour taste with a blast of freshness and energy. Lemonade is added in half portion, and the other half is of any tea is added to make lemonade half and half tea.
2. Half and Half Tea with Alcohol
A sparkling blend of half white wine and half flavor tea with water is the favorite combo of alcoholic people.
When carbonated or sparkling water combines with old wine with a twist of flavored tea, make this drink flavorful and satisfying.
3. Half and Half in Green Tea
If you haven’t imagined adding milk into green tea, then it’s time to think about it. You can add green tea powder (which is famous as “Matcha”) with milk.
“Matcha Latte” is one of the famous beverages. Another infusion of Matcha with milk gave birth to a new recipe Green Tea Frappe.
4. Half and Half Milk Tea
Earlier, people only used brewed tea. People didn’t mix tea with anything else, but later, milk started adding tea for many other reasons.
Mixing milk into tea is being a typical form of infused tea. It is simple to make by adding half milk into half black tea. Many people in Asian countries use this way. However, to learn the perfect recipe to make tea with milk, click the following link How to Make Tea with Milk.
5. Half and Half Boba
Boba is a small edible ball that is made when tapioca flour is mixed with water.
You can choose the glass of flavored tea with Boba pearls at the bottom in this fusion of half and half. People can fancy it more by adding some cream at the top.
Recipe for “Tea with Half and Half”
After reading about “half and half,” it is our right to look into the recipes’ detail.
Ingredients:
You need two significant chunks for making Arnold Palmer’s beverages are cold brew iced tea and lemonade.
- For making the first chunk, you will require:
- 1 tbsp tea (the choice of loose tea depends on you, you may choose the kind of tea you want)
- Two cups filtered water
- For making the second chunk, you will require:
- 2/3 cup of water
- Sugar as desired
- Ice
- Lemon juice (1/3 cup that can be the lemon juice from 2 medium-size lemons or one large lemon)
4 Steps to Prepare
1. For tea:
- First of all, take one tablespoon of any loose tea you prefer in a glass, and then add 2 cups of water at room temperature.
- Cover the glass or container and refrigerate it for at least 12 hours, or a maximum of 24 hours.
2. For Syrup:
- At step three, start making a simple sugar syrup. To make this, you have to take 2/3 cups of boiled water and sugar as desired.
- You have to stir the sugar until dissolved. Here is a plus point that you are free to use any other natural sweetener as well. Don’t know how to create natural sweeteners at home? Don’t worry; MAKEATEA.com has got you covered. Click the link to learn seven proven methods to sweeten your tea naturally.
3. For the lemonade:
- Now you require one large lemon, and if the lemon is small in size, you may use two. All you need is 1/ 3 cups of strained lemon juice. Strain the lemon juice well without the seeds.
- This step is all about making lemonade. For this, combine the sugar syrup that you prepare before, then strain the lemon juice and cold water.
4. For Mixing:
- This one is the last step. An essential thing to mention is that this recipe is all about making at-least four cups. All you have to do with each cup is, pour 1/3 lemonade, add 2/3 ice, and then top the remaining space with iced tea.
This drink has a layered effect as we have added three different layers: lemonade at the bottom, ice at the middle, and iced tea at the top.
Cold Brew Tea for Half and Half
Compared to hot brewed tea, the cold one is less savory and bitter, making it more enjoyable. Moreover, it comes with three layers.
At the bottom and cold tea and top, it perfectly sweet and sour simultaneously, in perfect proportions. The cold-brewed tea process is time taking and lengthy. It would help if you held yourself to enjoy tasty and delightful results.
3 Interesting Facts about the recipe
- You can make the lemonade in advance, just like the cold-brewed ice tea, and stored it in the refrigerator. It will help you be quicker when you make “half and half tea” afterward.
- Though most of us prefer black tea, there are people out who love green tea. So here is the good news that you are more than welcome to use green tea as well. It tastes perfect with lemonade.
- Always add lemonade in the last and brewed iced tea at the top. Ice will help you making the layered effect for sure.
So, what are you waiting for? Get up, set up, and let’s try.
Conclusion
Whenever two or more unusual things come together, it always turns out something extraordinary. Similarly, tea with half and half is as striking and unique as nothing else.
Such extraordinary characteristics made it a brand that then evolved as a vastly varied idea. We prefer that you use cold brew tea for half and half combination as it is more tasteful than hot brewed tea.
“Now you can enjoy better tea with your better half!!!!”
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