SC - OOP - OT No Ice in the cola? (was Persian lemons)

[Decker, Terry D.]

At the time I was living in Europe, a great many places had bacterial
contamination of the water to the extent the locals avoided drinking water
or drank canned or bottled water.  Iced drinks were virtual unknown outside
of military bases.  Most beverages were hot or at ambient temperature
(generally cooler than many places in the US), although you could find
chilled wines and beers in some places.

I think most Europeans originally avoided ice because of the health risks
and the additional expense of making ice from potable water.  The initial
avoidance became habit.

I also suspect that the use of ice in the US stems from several sources.
First, we have a number of hot, miserable climates.  Second, the ice box
(1803).  Third, the early 19th Century marvel, mechanical refrigeration
(1834), which makes it possible to manufacture and store beer year round
under previously impossible conditons and to make ice for ice boxes.
Fourth, the growing industrial capacity to cost effectively manufacture
refrigeration units.  And fifth, the novelty of being able to serve iced
drinks in a swamp or a desert, become a commonplace idiosyncrasy.

Bear  

> Oh? No ice in the cola? I've heard that it is difficult to 
> get iced tea
> in England. Any comments from those who are there or have visited? So,
> is putting ice chunks or cubes in beverages not done in Europe? What
> about cooling beverages in general? Is beer served cold?
> 
> -- 
> THLord  Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra