Summer Time Teas

A quiet reflection on summer, iced tea, and unexpected discoveries along the tea journey

We are slowly edging into summer—even though we are having very cool temperatures right now, it’s still light outside when I hit my pillow for the night. A sure sign of future long, hot summer evenings.

We’ve already had pockets of very summer-like weather this month—which reminds me that summer and I have a complicated relationship. Ask anyone who knows me and they’ll tell you that anything over 85 degrees feels like torture to me.

Another sign of approaching summer? I’m seeing more and more posts about iced tea right now—the best brands to buy, how to make it at home, tea tasting classes focused entirely on iced teas.

I must admit, I’ve never been a huge fan of iced tea. To make matters worse, I’m a Southern girl who does not—ever—drink sweet iced tea.

I’ve noticed something about tea—not scientific mind you—but people tend to feel very strongly one way or the other. I know people who absolutely love iced tea but have no interest at all in hot brewed tea. Then there are people like me who reach for hot tea year-round without thinking twice about it.

I have a coworker who doesn’t drink hot tea at all but has a fairly complicated method every morning of brewing hot tea only to pour it over ice before work.

With all that said, The Queen’s Library serves a cold tea as a palate cleanser during tea service. And honestly? I was shocked by how much I enjoyed it.

It was refreshing, light, and wonderful.

I’ve even started buying bottles of it to bring to my sister’s house for special occasions.

Once again, tea surprised me.

I still prefer my beloved hot teas, but there is something wonderful about discovering a new experience I probably would have dismissed before I began this journey. It’s one more reminder that this little tea adventure keeps expanding my world in ways I never expected.

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