I Just Want Plain Black Iced Tea

The bottle was filled to the top but I did not spill any of this tea.  It, the not spilling, was the highlight of my day.  That and falling asleep from 11:30 in the morning until 2:30 this afternoon.

If I may use this space for an open letter to mass-producers and sellers of iced tea:

Dear Mass-producers and Sellers of Iced Tea,

I would like to buy plain black iced tea.
I do not want mango in my tea.
I do not want pomegranate in my tea.
I do not want blueberry in my tea.
I do not want raspberry in my tea.
I do not want lemon in my tea.
I do not want lemonade in my tea.
I do not want 30g or more of high fructose corn syrup in my tea.
When you add high fructose corn syrup to teas with magical anti-oxidant-containing fruits in them, the immeasurably tiny health benefit of the magical anti-oxidant is vastly overwhelmed by the known detrimental effects of excessive sugar. 
Unless I am eating barbecue or fried chicken I do not want more than a hint of sugar in my tea.
I do not want black currant in my tea.
I do not want acai in my tea.
I do not want peach in my tea.
I do not want strawberry in my tea.
I do not want tangerine in my tea.
When out for a walk I get really tired of going into deli after deli after bodega looking for plain black iced tea.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Someone who thinks finding plain black ice tea in a store should be easy not difficult

Comments

[cheryl]

Amen, Brother Joe, I'm with you all the way on this one!

[beth]

me too please. i also want them to stop selling things called iced tea that taste nothing like tea (LIPTON I AM LOOKING AT YOU.)

also to play devil's advocate: brewing it yourself at home saves a lot of money and puts YOU in the driver's seat.

[Joe]

It's an unsweetened, unflavored iced tea revolution!

Brewing at home is an excellent idea, I concur. Sometimes though you find yourself out for a walk and getting thirsty.

Also, I saw this today and need to add to my list:

I do not want plum-pomegranate in my tea. Maybe as a sauce on duck, but not in iced tea.

[cheryl]

(To the tune of "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits)

I want my, I want my plain iced tea.
I want my, I want my plain iced tea.

[Dane]

Amen, Joe! I've given up on any tea that I don't make myself.

[Daniel]

Sadly, most Americans do not know that tea has flavor when it doesn't have a cup of sugar dumped into it. As for where you can usually get the plain black tea variety of Honest Tea, I recommend the Walgreens on 5th Ave and 33rd St., and Organic Forever on Frederick Douglass and 112th St. If I find others, I'll let you know.