# Lemon always tastes bad in tea.



## raidencmc

When I make iced tea with fresh lemon the lemon always tastes bad. I thought it was being put in when the tea was still warm. But I have been cutting in wedges and adding it as into each cup. It still tastes bitter no matter how fresh the lemon is. Any suggestions.


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## Dawgluver

Do you squeeze the lemon wedge into the tea to get the juice out?  Otherwise, if you just throw the wedges in without squeezing, it might taste bitter, and is a waste of lemon.  I always wash any fruit before I use it as well.


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## Addie

Dawgluver said:


> Do you squeeze the lemon wedge into the tea to get the juice out? Otherwise, if you just throw the wedges in without squeezing, it might taste bitter, and is a waste of lemon. I always wash any fruit before I use it as well.


 
You are right Dawg. You have to squeeze the lemon juice. It helps dilute the bitterness. And if you still find it bitter, add a bit of sugar. Perhaps you are adding too much lemon.


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## Kayelle

Let's face it.  Lemon is bitter, and the peel is even more bitter.  I really enjoy the flavor of lemon, but never in tea.


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## Greg Who Cooks

@ the OP:

Is it possible that you just don't like lemon in iced tea? Have you had lemon in iced tea at another setting and enjoyed it?


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## Addie

Kayelle said:


> Let's face it. Lemon is bitter, and the peel is even more bitter. I really enjoy the flavor of lemon, but never in tea.


 
I personally like a small amount of sugar only in my tea. But this being New England and so many of our natives to this city are of Irish descent or straight from the old sod iself, they like milk also. I admit, I am a bit of an oddity. The tannin oils of the tea are bitter in and of themselves. Adding lemon without sugar only increases the bitterness. There is a reason the south call their drink "Sweet Tea."


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## TATTRAT

Addie said:


> You are right Dawg. You have to squeeze the lemon juice. It helps dilute the bitterness. And if you still find it bitter, add a bit of sugar. Perhaps you are adding too much lemon.





Squeezing the lemon juice doesn't do anything to dilute it's strength. It would be pretty hard to squeeze juice. Squeezing the lemon, renders it's juice, and it's juice should be, and normally is, far milder than the essential oils in it's rind, and pith.

Sugar is always an option, an personally, unsweetened tea, with lemon, is very unappealing. Tea on it's its own, is on the bitter side, adding lemon, is just adding to it.

Depending on how much lemon is being added, and what part of the lemon is being added, ie: just the juice, or slices of the whole fruit, will greatly impact the end result, especially on how long it is left to steep.

Sun Brewed Tea, Lemon juice, Sugar to taste, and go from there. it's done successfully by millions of southern tea drinkers every day.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I too brew my tea in the sun. It's fun to put a big glass jug out there in the morning, and a few bags, and by afternoon you have good tea.

I take that and squeeze a bit of lemon into it and that's my iced tea (after adding ice cubes). I don't like sweet stuff. I like the bitter taste of the lemon and the faint bitter taste of the tea itself (Lipton's).


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## TATTRAT

Gourmet Greg said:


> I too brew my tea in the sun. It's fun to put a big glass jug out there in the morning, and a few bags, and by afternoon you have good tea.
> 
> I take that and squeeze a bit of lemon into it and that's my iced tea (after adding ice cubes). I don't like sweet stuff. I like the bitter taste of the lemon and the faint bitter taste of the tea itself (Lipton's).



I can relate to that, and I share your statements on sun tea. That "right" amount of bitterness, without it being unpalatable, I guess is just like those who like their coffee black. 

I miss afternoons with sun-tea, one of my few fond memories when I moved to the US as a kid.


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## PrincessFiona60

Don't want lemon anywhere near my tea...I will eat the slices, though!


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## Greg Who Cooks

TATTRAT said:


> I can relate to that, and I share your statements on sun tea. That "right" amount of bitterness, without it being unpalatable, I guess is just like those who like their coffee black.


It's nice to find a common ground with you. I too like my coffee black.

When in my late teens and started drinking coffee I found that it tasted horrible every way, black, sweet, creamed and sweet/creamed. I finally settled on black because none of the alternatives tasted any better. I don't really know why I kept drinking it except maybe it's the classic energy drink that too commonly today is manifested with adulterated products like Red Bull.

To this day I'm glad I settled on black coffee because I don't have to mess with it. For the same reason I like iced tea with just a squeeze of lemon. Minimalist...

I drink one big black 8-10 oz. coffee every day upon arising, and that's enough for me to keep me going throughout the day until my momentum carries me. I love my fresh ground from Colombian bean every day.

I haven't made sun tea in a long time. It's something I should return to soon. It's solar powered!


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## FrankZ

Addie said:


> There is a reason the south call their drink "Sweet Tea."



Naw.. in the south they call it tea.  Tea means ice and sugar (usually a lot of sugar).  If you want it any other way you need to tell them.

Hot tea.
Unsweetened tea.

You say tea and you get it sweet over ice, with a wedge of lemon hanging on the rim.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I drink my hot tea with lots of lemon. Sometimes I add honey in spite of my no-sweeteners nature. Hot tea with lemon and honey is good for sore throat. Then double dose it with chicken soup.


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## TATTRAT

Gourmet Greg said:


> It's nice to find a common ground with you. I too like my coffee black.
> 
> When in my late teens and started drinking coffee I found that it tasted horrible every way, black, sweet, creamed and sweet/creamed. I finally settled on black because none of the alternatives tasted any better. I don't really know why I kept drinking it except maybe it's the classic energy drink that too commonly today is manifested with adulterated products like Red Bull.
> 
> To this day I'm glad I settled on black coffee because I don't have to mess with it. For the same reason I like iced tea with just a squeeze of lemon. Minimalist...
> 
> I drink one big black 8-10 oz. coffee every day upon arising, and that's enough for me to keep me going throughout the day until my momentum carries me. I love my fresh ground from Colombian bean every day.
> 
> I haven't made sun tea in a long time. It's something I should return to soon. It's solar powered!




I never said anything about liking coffee, black or not. I was simply saying, I can understand the people that like that slight bit of bitter.

I have only drank coffee regularly when I lived in Holland, and the coffee there was a variety/prepared the way, of which you could stand a spoon in. I never futzed with milk/dairy, but I NEEDED sugar. To this day, the BEST cup of Joe I have ever had. Whenever I make it that way, I catch up with coffee like it's a long lost friend.



The same way people drink an espresso in it's traditional way, with a zest of lemon. . . *shivers* no way, jose.


Tea, being the second most consumed beverage on this planet, I know has many fashions, ways, and traditions of being drank. . .the way it is consumed in the Americas, I am sure is just another stretch on, or a bastardization of how it was originally intended.

Ultimately, with Tea, and coffee, the reason it is naturally unpalatable, is because it is supposed to be a "turn off" to humans, BUT us, being humans, like the "buzz" it provides, and many cultures, over a LOT of time, have done what they need to do, to make something that is not so enjoyable in it's natural state, enjoyable. That is why we need the additives. AS humans, we have done a great job of tailoring things to suit our pallets, and I enjoy all of the history of it.


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## Gravy Queen

I dont put lemon or ice near my tea. 

We only drink tea good and hot, just with milk, I like Yorkshire Teabags best. A proper cup of tea.


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## CharlieD

Gravy Queen said:


> I dont put lemon or ice near my tea.
> 
> We only drink tea good and hot, just with milk, I like Yorkshire Teabags best. A proper cup of tea.


 
Ah, you English, what do you know about tea drinking. 
Just kidding, sorry, couldn't help myself. 

I actually like tea the same way, but I do not shy away from cup of tea with some lemon, by the way, I strongly recommend you try. You'll like it, I can almost guarantee it. 

Oh, and to the original poster, I have never had the tea taste bad with a slice of lemon in it. No matter hot or cold, I mean ice tea.


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## CraigC

Love lemon, especially meyer lemon in iced tea. Can't stand American coffee. Now if you want some super, jolting espresso, try colada!


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## Gravy Queen

@CharlieD - weeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllll I might try it. Just for you. 

But, given the choice I prefer lemon in a big G & T


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## PolishedTopaz

raidencmc said:


> When I make iced tea with fresh lemon the lemon always tastes bad. I thought it was being put in when the tea was still warm. But I have been cutting in wedges and adding it as into each cup. It still tastes bitter no matter how fresh the lemon is. Any suggestions.


 

*You don't mention what KIND of tea you are using. The "American teas" {lipton-tetley} I find are far inferior to to the British types of bagged {an oxymoron I know} teas. And I find them to be bitterer as well. I would suggest switching your brand. Try Twinnings Lady Grey, when sweetened, it has a mild lemoney back flavor. Another thought, try using just the zest of the lemon and muddle it with crushed ice and a pinch of sugar.  One more thought, would be the temp of the water as this can effect the bitterness levels as well, just like coffee.*


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## Addie

PT, I prefer English teas as well. I wish I could get loose tea in my supermarket. I usually buy Bigelow English Breakfast tea. And I put just a spoonful of sugar in it.


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## GLC

FrankZ said:


> Naw.. in the south they call it tea.  Tea means ice and sugar (usually a lot of sugar).  If you want it any other way you need to tell them.
> 
> Hot tea.
> Unsweetened tea.
> 
> You say tea and you get it sweet over ice, with a wedge of lemon hanging on the rim.



I don't know where that "sweet tea" thing came from. I didn't begin hearing the term until the last several years, and I never heard it previously in Texas. And I would have heard it, if it had been in use from 1950 to maybe 1990 anywhere in Texas from Galveston to Sweetwater. (Except far East Texas that I avoid.) 

It was always "iced tea." And until fairly recently (if you're old, you have a different definition of "recent"), it was unknown in a lot of the North. About 1960, my aunt's husband moved them to Boston to do his residency. When she got up that way, she stopped in a restaurant and ordered iced tea with her meal. All she got was funny looks. She finally had to order a pot of tea, ice, and water, and the whole restaurant stood around and watched her make iced tea. 

I suspect "sweet tea" is something from Georgia or some other strange place. (By law in Georgia, to be "sweet tea," the sugar has to be in it while it's brewing. In Texas, it was always and mostly still is, "ice tea" (note the lack of the "d") or just "tea," and you sugar it yourself, although the "sweet tea" movement is making inroads.  If you want it in a cup, you had better order "hot tea." (Although it's a little unpredictable if you just order "tea" in a Chinese restaurant.) I have noticed, too, that when it's called "sweet tea," it's often sickly sweet with sugar, almost to the point of being undrinkable.


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## CharlieD

That is an interesting piece of history GLC. 
Back in my soviet days, I used to put my tea in refrigerator and drink it cold a lot of times. People were like totally surprised that anybody would be drinking cold tea.


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## FrankZ

GLC said:


> I never heard it previously in Texas.



Ahh that explains that... Texas isn't the south.  The south is the Virginia to Georgia out to Tennessee sorta way.  Texas is over yonder a ways...


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## GLC

The old Texians called them "The Old States."


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## raidencmc

If I use lemon juice in a bottle I don't have a problem.  If I go to a restaurant and squeeze there lemon into the tea I tastes great.  Am I missing something.


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## CraigC

raidencmc said:


> If I use lemon juice in a bottle I don't have a problem. If I go to a restaurant and squeeze there lemon into the tea I tastes great. Am I missing something.


 
Lemon juice in bottle!?! Welcome to the'70's and "Better living through chemistry!"


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## Greg Who Cooks

Lemon juice in a bottle ingredients:

citric acid, ascorbic acid, artificial lemon flavoring, FD&C #14 yellow dye, PABA, ETDA, MSG, preservatives...

Just kidding! 

Probably has lemon juice and a preservative. I've never bought the stuff. You can't get lemon zest off a bottle!


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## PattY1

CharlieD said:


> Oh, and to the original poster, I have never had the tea taste bad with a slice of lemon in it. No matter hot or cold, I mean ice tea.




^That


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## no mayonnaise

Hot tea isn't refreshing at all.  Sweet iced tea is cool and refreshing, something to drink when it's hot outside and a great alternative to soda, especially if you use the yellow or pink bags of sweetener as opposed to sugar.  A good majority of places will ask if you want sweet or unsweetened tea when you order and I opt for the unsweetened so I can add pink/yellow bags to it myself because I prefer the flavor with tea.  NOTE:  I'm born and raised in Texas and you can't find anything but iced tea here unless a place specifically offers otherwise on their menu.  
As for lemon, I can take it or leave it but I NEVER, EVER want a slice of lemon in my tea. I always ask for the lemon on the side and I'll send back the tea if it comes with a lemon in it.  Reason:  I have a hard time believing every restaurant thoroughly washes their lemons.  
Side note:  Lime juice is better than lemon juice in tea IMO.  Growing up in South Texas with lots of Mexican population the lime is very ubiquitous, just as much as lemons if not moreso.   Heck just the other day I was at a restaurant that had a bucket full of sliced limes next to the tea dispenser with no lemons to be seen and it was a nicer place too.   Plus no seeds in limes is great because getting a lemon seed stuck in  your straw is annoying, or worse, sucking it through the straw and  getting it in your mouth.


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## CharlieD

no mayonnaise said:


> Hot tea isn't refreshing at all. ...


 
I bet this is a whole discussion in it's own right. I bet a lots of people will strongly disagree with you. Take for example, all the southern states of what used to be soviet union. Uzbekistan, Kazachstan, Kirgiz ...
hot tea is exactly what they drink during hot summer day. There are small tea houses almost everywhere so you can stop for few minutes and have a cup of a hot tea.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I too have heard of drinking hot tea on a hot day as cooling you off, although I can't remember the source or context. I think it promotes sweating and the sweat cools you off?


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## CHAMPDAPHDAD

I like to add just about a 1/4 tsp of double strength vanilla flavoring to a nice glass of iced sweet tea with lemon the flavor is very refreshing!


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## GLC

Gourmet Greg said:


> I too have heard of drinking hot tea on a hot day as cooling you off, although I can't remember the source or context. I think it promotes sweating and the sweat cools you off?



It depends on what you want - to be cool or feel cool. (Sounds like a question for middle school kids.)  Putting hot liquid into your body adds heat. Not enough to raise your temperature, but it's an increase. So it doesn't make you_ be_ cool. 

But it does cause the body to shift some blood away from the not warmer core and into the extremities, where you seat a bit more. The increased evaporation make you _feel_ cooler. (And we know - again from middle school - that you might feel cool, but that doesn't make you be cool.) 

Unless I'm actually in need of genuine cooling, feeling cool is good enough. And I don't think a cold drink (unimproved by something distilled) soothes like a hot drink.


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## Greg Who Cooks

If I'm hot I'd rather drink iced water.


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## TATTRAT

Gourmet Greg said:


> I too have heard of drinking hot tea on a hot day as cooling you off, although I can't remember the source or context. I think it promotes sweating and the sweat cools you off?




It falls along the same lines a to why a lot of the equatorial regions/cuisines tend to be spicy. The heat makes things cooler by comparison, sweating cools you off. Pretty simple.

That being said, and having lived in the Uk for some time, having a Sheffield-er for a father, I know it gets "hot" in the UK, but a heat wave is like 80 degrees, lol, and on a 110 degree day in VA, my father will have  hot coffee before a cold beverage. . . . . . . screw that. Gimme a slurpee, and an Ice Water, stat! Not like father, like son in that regard.


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## Addie

I am hot, I like to suck on ice cubes.


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## TATTRAT

Addie said:


> I am hot, I like to suck on ice cubes.




Oh mamma, lets remember, this is a "family" site!


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## Greg Who Cooks

Lemon always tastes good in tea. Hot, cold or whatever. I disagree with the topic premise.

However you probably wouldn't want lemon in your tea and milk or cream too. I'm pretty sure _that_ would taste bad! 

I like Thai (iced) tea. Most versions of that have a dairy product. (Or many versions, I don't want to argue about it.) I'm pretty sure Thai tea rarely or never has lemon in it.


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## PrincessFiona60

Gourmet Greg said:


> Lemon always tastes good in tea. Hot, cold or whatever. I disagree with the topic premise.
> 
> However you probably wouldn't want lemon in your tea and milk or cream too. I'm pretty sure _that_ would taste bad!
> 
> I like Thai (iced) tea. Most versions of that have a dairy product. (Or many versions, I don't want to argue about it.) I'm pretty sure Thai tea rarely or never has lemon in it.



That's because you like lemon in your tea...doesn't mean that those that dislike lemon in their tea are wrong.  They just don't like lemon in their tea.


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## TATTRAT

Gourmet Greg said:


> Lemon always tastes good in tea. Hot, cold or whatever. I disagree with the topic premise.
> 
> However you probably wouldn't want lemon in your tea and milk or cream too. I'm pretty sure _that_ would taste bad!
> 
> I like Thai (iced) tea. Most versions of that have a dairy product. (Or many versions, I don't want to argue about it.) I'm pretty sure Thai tea rarely or never has lemon in it.




If you are referring to my post, and a Brits love for cream tea, you can count me out...as I made pretty clear by my love for a Slurpee or/and Ice water.


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## taxlady

Gourmet Greg said:


> Lemon always tastes good in tea. Hot, cold or whatever. I disagree with the topic premise.
> 
> However you probably wouldn't want lemon in your tea and milk or cream too. I'm pretty sure _that_ would taste bad!
> 
> I like Thai (iced) tea. Most versions of that have a dairy product. (Or many versions, I don't want to argue about it.) I'm pretty sure Thai tea rarely or never has lemon in it.



I can't tell you what lemon and milk in your tea tastes like, but it looks yucky. As a kid, I was used to drinking hot tea with milk and sugar. This was not something any of my friends drank. I remember going to a restaurant with my Girl Sprout troop. I ordered tea. They brought lemon and milk. I didn't think about it; I just added both. Oh boy did I feel silly when I saw it. D'oh!


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## TATTRAT

taxlady said:


> I can't tell you what lemon and milk in your tea tastes like, but it looks yucky. As a kid, I was used to drinking hot tea with milk and sugar. This was not something any of my friends drank. I remember going to a restaurant with my Girl Sprout troop. I ordered tea. They brought lemon and milk. I didn't think about it; I just added both. Oh boy did I feel silly when I saw it. D'oh!




Yummy! Curdled milk in some tea


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## Addie

TATTRAT said:


> Oh mamma, lets remember, this is a "family" site!


 
Sorry. I like to eat ice cubes. Let them melt in my mouth.


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## Rasputin

Oh wow all these negative responses to lemon in tea! Personally I love the bitterness of the lemon added to black tea. I grew up on it with at least a cup once a day. But then again we hall have our own different taste. But face it, lemon is a bitter fruit no matter what, if you don't want your tea to have that bitterness then don't add the lemon, and defiantly not the pill. But the pill does make a lovely snack, lemon is my favorite fruit.


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## Rasputin

TATTRAT said:


> Yummy! Curdled milk in some tea


I agree with agreeing! Any type of acid will make dairy curdle a bit. Thats how indians make paneer cheese and sour cream. And when you have instant teas in powder form don't EVER add cream or milk! It will curdle instantly. I'm I'm very, very low on money then I would but power but never would I dare add dairy.


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## PrincessFiona60

I don't find lemon bitter, sour most definitely.  I'll eat a lemon but want it no where near my tea.  I don't order iced tea in restaurants, because they insist on adding lemon, even when you ask them not to.  Just taking it out/off the glass does not count.


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## Rasputin

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I don't find lemon bitter, sour most definitely.  I'll eat a lemon but want it no where near my tea.  I don't order iced tea in restaurants, because they insist on adding lemon, even when you ask them not to.  Just taking it out/off the glass does not count.



oppps! Ah your right, even after all these years my english is still bad. I meant the peel was bitter if left in the tea and that a lemon is wonderfully sour. But people have their own taste. I never want to push mine on others and say mines is right. I just thought this was an interesting post and I wanted to reply.


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## PrincessFiona60

Your English is excellent!


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## Rasputin

PrincessFiona60 said:


> Your English is excellent!



Making me blush! Thank you.


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## taxlady

I was wondering where all that "lemon is bitter" was coming from.  As PF wrote, it's wonderfully sour. Just don't add the peel to your tea. Unless you get organic lemons or live in lemon country, the peels are dyed with dyes that aren't allowed in food.


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## Greg Who Cooks

PrincessFiona60 said:


> That's because you like lemon in your tea...doesn't mean that those that dislike lemon in their tea are wrong.  They just don't like lemon in their tea.



I was feeling in a contrary mood and just expressed my opposition to the statement in the OP and the topic title. Just for the principle. 



TATTRAT said:


> If you are referring to my post, and a Brits love for cream tea, you can count me out...as I made pretty clear by my love for a Slurpee or/and Ice water.



No, I was referring to the OP.

I don't like cream in tea except for Thai iced tea. I understand there is also Thai hot tea but I've never seen it on a menu nor tried it.


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## NZDoug

Gourmet Greg said:
			
		

> If I'm hot I'd rather drink iced water.



I like ice water with a squeeza lemon!


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## taxlady

NZDoug said:


> I like ice water with a squeeza lemon!



+1


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## TATTRAT

By far, the most refreshing thing on a hot day for me, some Arnold Palmer half & half.

I feel like I could drink it by the gallon. A perfect mix of tea, and lemonade, and no matter how I have made it from scratch, it just never seems to be the same. 

The half Tea, and half Pink lemonade is a rare treat too.


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## Greg Who Cooks

TR it sounds worth trying. Are you saying the brand name is better than your own "from scratch" iced tea and lemonade? If so it looks like time to deconstruct/copycat the brand.


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## TATTRAT

Gourmet Greg said:


> TR it sounds worth trying. Are you saying the brand name is better than your own "from scratch" iced tea and lemonade? If so it looks like time to deconstruct/copycat the brand.










it's available everywhere from the local 7-11, to the local grocer. Like a nice Pilsner, the colder the better. Get one, if you like tea/lemonade, you will wonder where it has been your whole life.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I strongly avoid brand names for things I can make myself but TR I'll attempt to give it a try next time I'm in the market. One thing about being a foodie (me) you have to be willing to try stuff. If I like it we'll have to deconstruct/copycat it.


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## TATTRAT

I am not sure if you have picked up on it yet, but I am a bit of a foodie too. . .I mean, I haven't partnered/owned/operated three restaurants, and cooked in 14 cities across 9 countries "just because".

And really, it's just a drink, I am not that vested in re-inventing the wheel, wen I can get it for $.99, and is pretty solid, but I certainly appreciate your enthusiasm. I am not retired, so I have bigger fish to fry.


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## Greg Who Cooks

I'm retired. I have time to cook fish of all sizes.


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## TATTRAT

Lucky, lucky. I hope I get to live that long.


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## Greg Who Cooks

But I don't have fish...


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