Arnold Palmer knows golf and cool drink for summer, too
There is the "Tea Squeeze" -- a blend of fresh-squeezed lemonade and hibiscus tea -- at Argo Tea.
And the famous homemade lemonade and tea combo at McCormick & Schmick's Seafood Restaurants, with several locations in Chicago and the suburbs.
(John H. White/Sun-Times)
For do-it-yourselfers, making a lovely glass of the tea-lemonade drink, named for Arnold Palmer, the golfer who declared his love for it decades ago, is as easy as heading to the grocery store or your favorite fast-food stop. (In case you were wondering, Smoque BBQ, 3800 N. Pulaski, has lemonade and iced tea at the serve-yourself soda fountain. Nice way to wash down some of the best brisket in the city. Area McDonald's restaurants offer the same drink options.)
No matter what version you try, the tea-lemonade drink is a natural combination since the prettiest of tea drinks, hot or cold, is always shown with a nice slice of lemon. The combination has a mellowing effect, blunting the tartness of the lemonade while flattening the tea's bitter edges. It's just pleasant.
Make it at home and tinker with the measurements. This column prefers the drink with just a few splashes of lemonade -- and a few slices of lemon to reintroduce the tart factor -- in an 8-ounce glass of tea.
Since today's consumers -- some 87 percent of tea drinkers -- tend to go to the store and pick up ready-to-drink iced tea in bottles and cans, industry experts say, your local grocery likely has what you want. There's the pioneer, Snapple, with regular and diet versions of the Lemonade Iced Tea. And AriZona Tea Co., has a hard-to-find (but easy to order online) Arnold Palmer Lite Half and Half drink. And, of course, Trader Joe's has Organic Tea & Lemonade in 64-ounce, ready-for-the-block-party containers, complete with vintage cartoon golfers on the label as well as golfing terms.
Curious about an unusual edible or kitchen tool? Want to share some mysteries in your own cabinets? E-mail the Food Detective at ldonovan@suntimes.com.