Pour Yourself An Arnold Palmer

That Arnold Palmer sure is refreshing and invigorating. Oh, we're not talking about the golf legend - although those adjectives surely fit the King, as well. No, we're talking about the beverage that also goes by that name.

I was in a corner grocery store today, headed over the cold drinks aisle, and out from the shelves stared Arnie himself. His image was on the packaging of the Arnold Palmer Lite Half & Half from Arizona Iced Tea. While Arizona has been distributing this drink for a while (both the light and regular versions), this is the first time I've seen it stocked by any store where I live.

What is an Arnold Palmer drink? It's half iced tea, half lemonade, mixed together.

According to some sources, the half tea/half lemonade drink was first made at Cherry Creek Country Club near Denver, Colo.; other sources credit Palmer himself with inventing the drink. One thing is certain: the drink has come to be known as "the Arnold Palmer" because it has long been one of Arnie's favorite beverages. Early in his career, Palmer requested the half-and-half mix so often in clubhouse dining rooms that the drink took his name.

The Arizona Iced Tea Company isn't the first beverage maker to distribute a half tea/half lemonade product. But it is, according to BevNet, the first to use the King's name and image.

In fact, Palmer's name and image are licensed by Arnold Palmer Enterprises to a company called Innovative Flavors, which in turn created Arnold Palmer Tee (www.arnoldpalmertee.com) to push the drink to retail shelves. And one of the ways the drink is distributed is through the Arizona Iced Tea Company.

Of course, you don't have to make a trip to the store to buy a bottle or can to enjoy an Arnold Palmer. It's pretty simple, after all.

• Make some tea, make some lemonade; chill.
• Drop a few ice cubes into a tall glass.
• Fill halfway with tea; fill up with lemonade; stir.

But if you would like to order a stash of readymade Arnold Palmer beverage, visit Arizona Iced Tea's online store.

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