From sea to shining sea in the United States, Americans can count on the temperature soaring on the Fourth of July. Therefore, the best solution for fun holiday fare simply might be to choose the coolest.

In short, for a smooth, easy and refreshing July 4 party, serve smoothies. There's not much more patriotic than making them a part of a tea party, a la the one associated with the country's independence, and — "hear ye, hear ye," — one of the latest trends in smoothies happens to be those accented with tea.

Fruit has always been a first choice for fantastic smoothies. Lately, greens — like kale, spinach, cucumber and celery — have become a "go-to" solution. Those are all so last season, though.

If you're looking to liven up a Fourth of July brunch or dessert smoothie, take tea along for the ride. Freshly brewed tea, then iced or pureed with frozen fruit adds both flavor and refreshment.

Different teas satisfy various taste palates: White is mild and cool; black is peppery; green is earthy; red is pungent. All also include a hefty dose of antioxidants.

With herbal teas, whether fruity (like peach, blueberry or mango) or spicy (like peppermint or ginger), the choices are unlimited.

With the introduction of tea to smoothies, creativity in recipe preparation is also likely to increase. Such innovation is shown off in the Tetley frozen slightly sweet honeydew-green tea or Chef Bobby Flay's Food Network pungent mixed berry-red tea concoctions below.

Here are some additional innovations. Add ingredients to your own taste:

—Passion fruit tea, frozen blueberries, blueberry-flavored Greek yogurt (Greek yogurt usually has much more protein than regular yogurt)

—Ginger tea, frozen bananas, lemon-flavored Greek yogurt

—Peppermint tea, frozen limes, vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt

—Green tea, frozen pineapple, cherry-flavored Greek yogurt

—Orange tea, frozen tangerines, lemon-flavored Greek yogurt

Transforming to dessert? Consider these toppings:

—Whipped cream that's been mixed with sweetened flaked coconut

—Drizzles of melted dark chocolate and minced dried cherries

—Chopped chocolate mints and cookie crumbs

HONEYDEW-GREEN TEA SMOOTHIE

2 cups honeydew melon chunks

2 green tea bags

1 cup boiling water

1/2 cup vanilla-flavored Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons honey (optional)

Yields 2 servings.

Arrange honeydew on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in freezer until frozen. Transfer to a re-sealable freezer bag. (Melons can be stored in the freezer up to one month.)

Meanwhile, steep tea bags in boiling water for 5 minutes; carefully discard tea bags. Cool tea to room temperature.

Combine frozen honeydew, tea, yogurt and honey in a blender and puree until very smooth. Serve immediately.

Variations: Use frozen cantaloupe chunks and chai tea bags, or mixed frozen tropical fruits and peach or mango tea bags.

— Tetley Tea

MIXED BERRY-RED TEA SMOOTHIE

5 red tea bags

2 tablespoons pure cane sugar, agave or honey (or more, to taste)

1 (10-ounce) bag frozen mixed berries, thawed

1/4 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt

2 cups ice cubes

Yields 4 servings.

Put 4 cups cold water in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the tea bags, remove from the heat, and let steep for 5 minutes. Add in the sweetener while it is still warm so it will dissolve. Refrigerate until cold, at least 30 minutes.

Put the cold tea, berries, yogurt and ice in a blender, and blend until smooth.

— Chef Bobby Flay/FoodNetwork.com

Photo courtesy of FoodNetwork.com.

This refreshing mixed berry-red tea smoothie makes a perfect flavor — and color — statement for a Fourth of July party.

Lisa Messinger is a first-place winner in food writing from the Association of Food Journalists and the author of seven food books, including "Mrs. Cubbison's Best Stuffing Cookbook" and "The Sourdough Bread Bowl Cookbook." She also writes the Creators News Service "Cooks' Books" column. To find out more about Lisa Messinger and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.