la.foodblogging

Skimming Trader Joe’s Fearless Flyer last night reminded me that some parts of the country deem iced tea and the Arnold Palmer (iced tea’s lemonade-sweetened sibling) seasonal beverages. That doesn’t seem to be the case here in Los Angeles where iced tea flows freely in restaurants year-round. Quite frankly, that’s one of the reasons I love living and eating in L.A. I’m all about a good Arnold Palmer, or as some folks call it, the “50/50.”

You may be thinking, Iced tea and lemonade, what’s the big deal? But I assure you, there are so many variations, and potential missteps when combining ingredients for this drink. I have had 50/50s in L.A. that are too sweet, bland, pulpy, weak, watery, too tart and too bitter. Nonetheless, I’m always willling to try a new spin on a classic.

Peet’s Coffee & Tea, for example, serves up an inspired 50/50 called a Jasmine Lime Cooler. In this case it is a drink you can only get in the summer months because Peet’s uses Odwalla’s seasonal Summertime Limeade to sweeten its jasmine scented green tea. I most recently was in a Peet’s store in San Francisco and I was pleased to see that the Jasmine Lime Cooler is back on the menu in time for spring.

My latest 50/50 discovery was really a no-brainer. I went to Clementine for a late, if quick, lunch yesterday. Like most everything at Clementine the Arnold Palmers are super. Clementine’s uses a tropical fruit tea and the lemonade is, of course, freshly made. It’s an accomplished if somewhat traditional take on the tart summery fresh drink and it has a nice caffeine kick. I even bought a second 50/50 after lunch for the drive back to work. The search for the tastiest and/or most inspired Arnold Palmer in L.A. is ongoing, so if you have any recommendations, please share them.

Clementine
1751 Ensley Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90024
310-552-1080