Long Island Iced Tea.

Bentley Green · 08-25-2008, 01:35 AM

Why is a Long Island Iced Tea called that when there is not a drop of iced tea used to make this drink? Where did it originate from?

I saw Aaron make this drink on the most recent episode of his show. He used several different liquors in the drink and some cola.

I mean, I've seen it made many times. And it IS very, very, very potent. I got drunk from it last weekend in Providence. I had two of them back to back!!:23:

PicBuddy · 08-25-2008, 03:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bentley Green

Why is a Long Island Iced Tea called that when there is not a drop of iced tea used to make the drink? Where did it originate from?

I saw Aaron make this drink on the most recent episode of his show. He used several different liquors in the drink and some cola.

I mean, I've seen it made many times. And it IS ver, very, very potent. I got drunk from it last weekend in Providence. I had two of them back to back!!:23:

Well, as much as I wish I could have been in Providence and got drunk with you, I have become a little comfortably numb on Long Island Iced teas from time to time. I think the one that really knocked my reality in the dirt was at the Sofotil in Chicago. Another was, believe it or not, Denny's in Tokyo. (Yes, Dennys serves hard drinks in Japan and yes they do at 5am)... You can get some pancakes and get slaughtered at the same time. And I have no problem with that. Perfect after a whole night of drinking.

As far as your question, it appears to have been named on long island in the late 70's. Really surprised that it's that new...

History

Long Island Iced Tea was first served in the late 1970s by Robert (Rosebud) Butt, a bartender at the Oak Beach Inn, in the Town of Babylon, Long Island, New York.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_Island_Iced_Tea

Bentley Green · 08-25-2008, 09:56 AM

I thought maybe it was Asian / Hawaiin-inspired because because I had one during one of my visits to Hawaii. It was potent then as it ia now. Some Chinese rastaurants offer it as well.

And it DOES sound much like an exotic or tropical drink. Never would have guessed that it originated from Long Island!

But still, there's no iced tea in it. Is that the reason behind putting a splash of cola in it to MAKE is look as though it's iced tea? Which is also what Aaron did yesterday on his show. He called it something else though. But the discription in the episode grid said LIIT.

Oh. It is so-called because it looks like a non-alcoholic iced tea.

Food Network Fan · 08-25-2008, 04:25 PM

I always heard it started during prohibition and they made it specifically to look like Iced Tea so if they were seen drinking it by law enforcement there would be an assumption that it was just tea and they wouldn't be approached.

Some people say it tastes like tea.

Bentley Green · 08-26-2008, 10:06 PM

If you're out drinking and you decide to have this drink, do NOT drink it too fast and SPACE them way apart. It has a ton of liquor in it, trust me!!

It's nice, but it's also a SUCKER drink.