Bites Nearby: Beat The Heat

Coffee will dehydrate you—not the best during the heat wave we're experiencing in Woodbury.

A refreshing and healthy alternative to coffee or soda, iced tea contains antioxidants that are believed to be good for your health. The freshly brewed teas at in Woodbury are cool, refreshing and uniquely flavorful.

These days the most popular iced drinks amongst the younger generation are the bubble teas. 

“Originally bubble tea meant when you’d shake up your tea, you’d get the bubbles on top, but marketing has now evolved it in to adding tapioca pearls or fruit-like jellies that have a bubble-like appearance to them,” said Tea Garden Steepery general manager Briana Triviski.

According to Triviski, Tea Garden, Inc., (corporate parent of Steepery Tea Bar), was the first company to bring in tea bars to the state of Minnesota. The company remains on the leading edge of tea trends, too, such as the blending of teas into flavorful hot and cold drinks.

Take for example, the blueberry-lemon, black iced tea ($3.54/16 oz).  Made with two parts blueberry fruit concentrate, a shot of lemon and their house black tea, it’s put into a shaker, poured over ice and sealed for takeout. It’s fruity and refreshing, making it a choice drink for a hot summer’s day.

A really flavorful and unique drink is the Poppa on the Rocks ($3.75/16 oz). Named after a very tall patron, this brewed-to-order iced drink is made with paramour tea. With lovely nuances of strawberry and hibiscus, the drink also consists of a shot of yogurt concentrate and scoop of green apple jelly. Being that it’s caffeine-free with natural sweetness, it’s a great drink option for kids and adults. Served "on the rocks," it’s a perfecting pairing with a strawberry chicken and goat-cheese salad.

The more sophisticated tea drinkers will enjoy making their own iced tea at home. Try starting with two ounces of the Marrakesh Chai loose leaf tea ($5.10/two oz or $2.46/16 oz drink). This is a green tea mixed with mint and the spice of chai, and when the tea leaves unfurl, it looks similar to a fine gunpowder.  

Triviski said this is one of her favorite teas to drink iced. “I’m a purist when it comes to drinking tea, meaning, I don’t like to add any sugar, honey or lemon, as I don’t want to lose the flavor of the tea,” she said.

Tea Tip: An easy and convenient way to make your own loose-leaf hot or iced teas is to use a little plastic gadget sold at Steepery Tea Bar called the IngenuiTEA ($18/16 oz or $25/32 oz.). Essentially, this is a handled, plastic mug-like device that you put the desired amount of loose leaf tea in, and then pour boiling water into the device.

When the tea is done steeping, simply place the device over your mug and the one-way automatic valve releases the fresh brewed tea into your mug, leaving the loose tea behind.