Sating a sweet tooth with a sweetened cuppa is a time-honored tradition, as old as teatime itself.
In China, sweetening tea with rock sugar or honey was practiced as early as the 8th century. In Europe, adding sugar to tea became popular after tea was introduced from China in the late 17th century. In England and America, sweetening tea with sugar grew in popularity in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. And it’s not just sugar that creates a sweet treat. Honey, and even jam, are popular options for sweetening a cup of tea.
Enjoyed not just for its intensely sweet flavor but also for its soothing properties*, honey has an ancient history. Used in the same way as a simple syrup for iced tea, the popularity of adding honey to tea appears to have gained momentum recently. A tip for adding honey directly to iced tea: dissolve the honey in a small amount of very hot water and then stir into the iced tea. The hot water will help the honey dissolve before chilling. We offer two fantastic varieties of honey: Wildflower Honey, with its complex, floral flavor and buttery mouth feel, and our Tupelo Honey, with its distinct, complex character and rich sweetness.
We have some favorite blends that we especially enjoy during warm weather since they are as delicious iced as they are hot. Sip our NT55: Summer Blend, full-bodied and refreshing with notes of citrus and juniper berries. Enjoy “a day at the peach” with our NT98: Peach Sky, a smooth, rich black tea with just the right amount of sweet peach. Succulent as a bushel of fresh blueberries, our NF10: Blueberry Black Tea combines a smooth black tea with tart and sweet blueberries. The flavor profile of each of these selections would be elevated very nicely by the addition of a bit of extra sweetness.
Inspired by traditions of enjoying tea with jam and bread, adding jam to tea emerged as a practical way to sweeten tea when sugar was scarce. If you would like to give that a try, our jam selections certainly fill the bill. Savor our Caramelized Fig With Pear, a perfect balance of rich fig and juicy pear. Featuring ripe, sweet pineapple, complemented by refreshing lemon, our Tropical Pineapple is sure to delight. Experience our Raspberry with Hibiscus, with just the right level of sweet and tart. Try out a classic: our Orange Marmalade, with a vibrant flavor that balances the sweet and bitter notes of the finest citrus. Our TB49: Darjeeling Ceylon Iced Tea, the perfect blend of smooth and crisp, and our TC05: Ceylon BOP, a classic brisk refresher, are both perfect selections to try with any of these delicious jams.
The type of sweetener used can change the overall flavor of your tea. You can mix and match according to your desired flavor cravings and sweetness level. Sweeter options, like honey or jam, might overpower more delicate teas so experiment accordingly.
Until next time, keep sipping!
*This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.