Latest news with #icedtea
Daily Mail
8 hours ago
- General
- Daily Mail
THE CANNY COOK: Cold-brew iced tea
In 20 or so years of writing about food, one of my greatest joys has been picking up clever little tricks from chefs. Simple, transformative things like adding a splash of water to onions as they fry (which helps them to soften and prevents browning too soon) or salting fish 10-15 minutes before cooking to firm up the flesh and enhance the flavour. A couple of weeks ago, while I was staying with a chef friend in Bristol, he offered me a glass of iced tea. Instinctively I turned it down, having never been a fan of its fruit-heavy, syrupy composition. But the drink he poured himself looked light and crisp, so I asked to try it. It was fantastic: elegant, refreshing, completely sugar-free and, it turns out, incredibly easy to make. He had simply soaked a couple of green tea bags (one classic, one with lemon) overnight in cold water. Cold-brewing is key as the tea releases fewer tannins than in hot water, resulting in a smooth and delicate finish. Aromatics (fruits and herbs) can also be added for extra flavour. As someone who is always searching for sugar-free summer drinks, I thought it a brilliant discovery, and I have been playing with variations since. If you fancy making a batch and need a nice carafe, Ikea has a great one with a cork lid for under £5. 1 mint sprig, 52p; 1 litre water, no cost METHOD Using a y-peeler, pare a long strip of zest from the lemon. Place inside a 1 litre carafe or jug, with the tea bags and the mint. If you don't have lemons, try adding slices of cucumber, rounds of orange or lime or strawberry tops (which you'd probably otherwise throw in the bin). Instead of mint, you could add basil leaves, lemongrass stalks or a sprig of rosemary. Fill the carafe or jug with cold water, put on the lid or cover, and leave to cold-brew in the fridge for 12-24 hours. Pour into glasses over ice and slices of the lemon and enjoy. *This cost assumes you already have some basic store-cupboard ingredients. Prices taken from Sainsbury's and correct at time of going to press.
The Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Yorkshire Tea is bringing out a brand-new drink and it's PERFECT for summer
YORKSHIRE tea is bringing out a brand-new drink that's perfect for summer. The proper brew legends have spilled the tea – and it's iced. 2 In a hush-hush post to Instagram, Yorkshire Tea teased: 'Shh... don't tell anyone about this, OK? We're only showing you this photo because we trust you.' But the secret's out now and yes, it's real. The iconic Northern tea company is stepping into iced tea territory for the first time ever, with not one but two fruity new flavours: Lemon and Peach & Raspberry. The drinks are made using Yorkshire Gold tea – the poshest of brews – and come with no artificial flavours or sweeteners. They're also gluten free, vegan, and low calorie, with just a touch of sugar to sweeten the deal. For now, the range is only available in cafés, bars, farm shops, and hotels, so you won't find it in your local supermarket or online just yet. But Yorkshire Tea has promised to 'shout' when that changes. Despite the quiet launch, fans are already going wild in the comments. One said: 'Omgggggg is there a list of places where you can get this? I NEED IT.' Another wrote: 'Yessss! I don't like tea but LOVE iced tea so finally I will taste Yorkshire's finest!' The 5 best rooftop bars in london Others chimed in with 'Oohhhh you about to change the game' and 'As a tea addict I am very excited about this.' Last year, Sun readers crowned Yorkshire Tea the best brew in Britain, topping the list across all age groups. The brand, famous for its 'Let's have a proper brew' slogan, has been fuelling the nation since 1977, originally designed for Yorkshire's famously hard water. Even stars like Tracy Brabin, Mayor of West Yorkshire and former Coronation Street actress, have sung its praises. 'Yorkshire folk didn't need a poll to tell us what we know already — Yorkshire Tea is the finest in the world,' she said. And it's not just telly stars getting sentimental over their steamy mug – the Archbishop of York himself even backed the brand, calling it a staple of British life. With more than 100million cups of tea slurped in the UK every single day, Yorkshire Tea's move into iced territory could be the brew shake-up no one saw coming. New summer drinks Yorkshire Tea isn't the only brand launching drinks to quench the nation's thirst. Cadbury recently brewed up buzz with its new chocolate mocha collab with Kenco, while over in the fizzy aisle, Caribbean soft drink fave KA has dropped a surprise line of alcoholic tinnies. Flavours include Fruit Punch, Black Grape, Pineapple and Karnival Twist, each mixed with Caribbean white rum and landing in stores at £2.79 a can. Meanwhile, supermarkets are getting in on the summer drinks game too. Lidl is selling pre-mixed cocktail cans for just 89p, with flavours like Strawberry Daiquiri, Mojito, and Bitterol Spritz. Rival Aldi has its own bargain tinnies from 99p, including Hard Seltzers and Spicy Margaritas. Meanwhile an iconic 90s booze is bringing back its original cans after more than three decades. Whether you're into fruity rum, frozen cocktails, or now – Yorkshire Tea – it looks like summer 2025 is shaping up to be seriously refreshing.
WIRED
12-06-2025
- Entertainment
- WIRED
We Ranked 24 Flavors of AriZona Iced Tea From Best to Worst
It's smooth. It's sweet. It's refreshing. It's cheap. It's everywhere. While Arnold Palmer is not the singular most iconic beverage in the AriZona portfolio, it sure is close, and there's not a single doubt that it deserves admission to the Mount Rushmore of soft drinks. It wasn't until a few years after I lived off cans of these from the Shell station next to my college apartment that I realized mixing lemonade and iced tea was a very cool and normal thing society found acceptable: I just figured everyone would rather be drinking a can of AriZona's Arnold Palmer. On its own, this drink has everything you need, and we can stop right there with the descriptors and superlatives. But let me tell you, you have not lived until you sipped a third of the liquid off the top, filled the empty space with vodka, and ran around town on a hot summer night with a big-ass can of liquid bliss in your hands. If it weren't for the incredibly subtle 'diet' flavor on the aftertaste (the can says 'LITE' and is not emblazoned with the 'No artificial flavors' stamp), this would be a perfect 10, no questions asked. Score: 9.1 As a Northerner, there's a whole slew of things from the South that will always feel overrated to me. Sweet tea lands on this list right between Nascar and Bojangles, though I wouldn't shy away from either if I had a rack of Busch Light in me. It's absolutely everywhere south of the Mason-Dixon line, and the disparity between brews at fast-food joints, diners, and gas stations is truly staggering. It's arguable that Chick-fil-A offers the platonic ideal of sweet tea, but the drive-thru line at your average CFA in Georgia is prohibitive when all you want is a frosty cool glass of the sweet brown stuff. AriZona's spin on the drink is a close second, and I was shocked to realize how much I liked it in spite of it basically being Arnold Palmer with one flavor instead of two. The absence of lemon lets the earthy notes of the tea punch through the mix, and the sugary finish is just a click below being the syrupy, saccharine mess you'll find at lesser Southern fast food chains like Zaxby's or Cookout. I pray the robot mower I'm testing out for this publication makes my real lawnmower obsolete, but if it doesn't, you can find me shirtless all summer long with a pair of UGA Croakies on my head and a can of this in my non-mowing hand. Score: 8.7
Daily Mail
04-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Blake Lively shifts her focus to new product launch... after 'losing friend Taylor Swift over Justin Baldoni lawsuit'
Blake Lively is focusing on her booze line this week. On Wednesday, the 37-year-old blonde Hollywood pinup announced that Betty Booze is coming out with two vodka iced teas in time for the hot months. The flavors are Meyer Lemonade and Passion Fruit. 'I come from a Southern family, so iced tea, especially in the summertime is a staple,' the actress told People. 'Sweet tea, passionfruit tea, tea with fresh lemonade … it all feels like relaxation and peaceful times. Enjoying an iced tea is a feeling as much as an experience to me.' The wife of Ryan Reynolds kicked off her Betty Buzz brand in 2021 with sparkling mixers. In 2023 came Betty Booze with tequila and bourbon. This comes after news that Blake has lost her friendship with Taylor Swift over her Justin Baldoni lawsuit. 'Vodka felt like the perfect next addition to our 'bar' lineup because of its subtle and popular flavor,' she added, calling the spirit 'an ideal backdrop to both of our yummy new teas.' And she suggested how fans should drink the beverages. 'I usually think of a barbecue or summer hang outside, even if it's just with one family member,' she said. 'Any time you'd have iced tea or an Arnold Palmer with alcohol is the time you'd have this,' she continued. 'At a party, dinner at home, at a restaurant, wherever is natural to you. I like seeing friends try both and swapping with each other back and forth as they drink. That's how you know they're close.' Lively then mentioned her Emily Nelson character from the Simple Favor movies. 'Emily had a fabulous wedding in Capri, which is all things lemon,' she said. 'Lemons have a sweet spot for all us Capri superfans. Though I think Emily would spike our [ready-to-drink teas] with much more vodka because ours are nice and subtle, and she is neither nice or subtle. Well sometimes she's nice. But never subtle.' 'These are the recipes I've been making for loved ones for years. But I have 4 kids now. And I'm tired. So here they are in a can. Enjoy. Responsibly…ish,' she said. Lively allegedly asked Taylor Swift to delete their text messages as part of her ongoing legal battle with actor and director Baldoni. The actress has been locked in a legal battle for months with 41-year-old filmmaker Justin after accusing him of harassment on the set of their film 'It Ends With Us', and her and Taylor's relationship became entangled in the lawsuit earlier this year. According to newly filed court documents revealed by Page Six, lawyers representing Justin and his production company, Wayfarer Studios, cite an anonymous source 'who is highly likely to have reliable information', alleging that Blake made the text deletion request to Taylor, 35 – though the exact timing of the apparent conversation was not disclosed. According to the filing, Justin's legal team further alleged Blake's lead attorney, Michael Gottlieb, had approached Taylor's law firm, Venable, to request a 'statement of support' from the pop star. The court document claims the request carried an implied threat: 'If Ms. Swift refused to do so, private text messages of a personal nature in Ms Lively's possession would be released.' Justin's lawyers said a representative for Taylor responded to the alleged threat in a written communication sent directly to Michael. 'It is those communications that the Wayfarer parties seek to obtain by way of subpoena,' the filing reads, referencing an ongoing legal battle over access to Venable's internal correspondence. The documents allege the communications 'would evidence an attempt to intimidate and coerce a percipient witness in this litigation.' Taylor has not been accused of any wrongdoing, but she has been subpoenaed as a potential witness in the case. Michael responded to the allegations by calling them 'categorically false' and 'completely untethered from reality' in a statement to Page Six, adding he 'unequivocally' denied them. Taylor's publicist also stated the Grammy winner 'was not involved' in the production of the film at the centre of the dispute between Justin and Blake, and had been 'traveling around the globe during 2023 and 2024 headlining the biggest tour in history.' Blake and Taylor have been close friends since 2015. In January, Justin filed a countersuit against Blake, accusing her of defamation and extortion. In the countersuit, he alleged Blake had invoked Taylor and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, as protectors in creative disputes. 'The message could not have been clearer,' Justin's lawyers wrote in the filing. They added: 'Baldoni was not just dealing with Lively. He was also facing Lively's 'dragons,' two of the most influential and wealthy celebrities in the world, who were not afraid to make things very difficult for him.'
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I went to Sutton's LA Café, but calling it a ‘café' doesn't do it justice anymore
There are places you visit once, and there are places you return to again and again because they keep surprising you. LA Café is firmly in the second category. I've been there several times since I first discovered it last March, and each time I visit, the expectations are a little higher. Somehow, they always manage to meet them. Just before their fourth anniversary, I stopped by again, and once again, I left impressed. It was a warm Friday just before noon when I dropped in, ready for something light but satisfying. I ordered a peach and lemon iced tea, expecting the usual chilled drink to keep me cool. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand) What I got instead was something that made me pause. It was crisp and delicate, a perfect balance of soft peach and sharp citrus. Not too sweet, not too sharp, and far from artificial. Just clean, refreshing and exactly what I needed. I've had plenty of iced teas before, but this one really stood out. The word "refreshing" gets thrown around too easily, but here it applies in the truest sense - it reset my mood for the day. At LA Café, the specials change every single day; that's one of the things I admire most. You never know what's coming, but whatever it is, it's always worth trying. That day's special was a wagyu beef burger with seasoned chips, served with truffle and hollandaise. (Image: Ezekiel Bertrand) I'll be honest - I had no idea what wagyu even was. Ankur, who's as friendly as ever, explained it to me. Wagyu is a Japanese breed of beef known for its high level of marbling and rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavour. It's not the sort of thing you expect to find in a local café. But that's exactly the point: calling LA Café a café doesn't do it justice anymore. Yes, the word is still in the name, but this place has evolved into something more. With its ever-changing menu, high-quality ingredients and thoughtful presentation, it feels much more like a bistro. It's casual but ambitious, and local but impressive. The burger itself was one of the best I've had in a long time. I took a photo first, of course, but ten minutes later, the plate was empty. The beef was juicy and rich, the bun held its shape without overwhelming the filling, and the hollandaise added a silky finish I didn't know a burger could benefit from. It wasn't messy or overloaded, just well-constructed and satisfying from start to finish. The chips were golden, crisp on the outside, and fluffy inside. The seasoning gave them life, and the drizzle of truffle and hollandaise added a layer of indulgence without making them too heavy. They didn't go cold, they didn't get soggy, and I didn't leave a single one behind. One of my favourite things at LA Café is the set of little squeezy bottle sauces they leave on each table. I always go for the chilli one. I physically can't eat a dry chip, and this sauce saves me every time. It's warm rather than fiery, smooth rather than overpowering, and it cuts through the richness of the chips beautifully. I'm convinced it would make even the plainest plate of fries worth finishing. By the end of the meal, I was full for the rest of the day. Not in a weighed-down, regret-my-lunch kind of way, but in a comfortably full. It's a rare feeling to leave a lunch spot feeling like you got everything you wanted without anything overdone. That's what keeps me coming back to LA Café. There's a standard here that never slips. Whether it's a quick visit for a drink or a full plate special, everything feels considered. The team know what they're doing, the menu stays exciting, and the food always lands exactly where it should. As they head into their fourth year, it's clear that this place has outgrown its original label. The word 'café' may still sit above the door, but this is a bistro through and through. It's rooted in Sutton but would hold its own anywhere. It continues to surprise me in the best way, and I already know I'll be back sooner than I should be.
