Happy hour tea
This week's Spokesman-Review Food section is all about afternoon tea, based on the book "Afternoon Tea at Home" by Will Torrent.
The book doesn’t include tea cocktails. But that doesn’t mean you can’t.
Here’s a round-up of a few boozy beverages featuring tea that just might factor into your Mother's Day brunch.
Sweet Tea Bourbon Cocktail with Fresh Mint and Orange
From joythebaker.com
4 or 5 black tea bags
1/4 cup agave syrup (honey will do too)
1/4 to 1/2 cup bourbon (depending on how strong you want your cocktail)
4 to 6 sliced orange rounds
6 sprigs fresh mint
Lots of ice
Bring water to a boil. Turn off water and add black tea bags. Steep tea for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the tea bags, place the tea in a large pitcher and let rest in the refrigerator until cold.
Place agave, bourbon, orange slices and fresh mint in a medium bowl. With the back of a spoon, begin to muddle (or press together) the ingredients. The oranges will release some juice, the mint will become fragrant, and the bourbon will tickle your nose. It’ll smell delicious. Once the mixture is pressed together, and the flavors are extracted, add the mixture to the pitcher of tea. Stir well. (Feel free to strain the orange wedges and the mint leaves before pouring into the pitcher of tea, if you’d like.)
Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour sweet, boozy tea over ice.
High Tea Cocktail
From Food Network
1 tablespoon cardamom pods
1/4 cup sugar
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
3 bags black tea (preferably English Breakfast or orange pekoe)
6 ounces gin
1 ounce sweet vermouth
5 dashes orange bitters
Orange and/or lemon twists, for garnish
Toast the cardamom pods in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add 3 cups water, the sugar and ginger and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the mixture is reduced to 2 cups, about 10 minutes.
Strain the syrup into a glass measuring cup; if you have less than 2 cups syrup, add hot water. Add the tea bags and steep, about 3 minutes. Discard the bags and cool the syrup to room temperature (don’t squeeze the bags or the syrup will taste tannic).
Combine the syrup, gin, vermouth and bitters in a large cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until frothy, about 15 seconds, then pour into a pitcher filled with ice. Garnish with orange and/or lemon twists.
Earl Grey Tea Cocktail
From sugarandcharm.com
6 ounces cold Earl Grey tea
1 1/4 ounces gin
1 1/4 ounces honey simple syrup (recipe below)
1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
2 lavender sprigs
Brew 4 cups Earl Grey tea. This will give you enough to make a few cocktails. Store in the refrigerator to keep cold.
Make a batch of honey simple syrup to store in the fridge as well. Mix 5 cups water and 1 cup honey. Bring to a simmer until honey has dissolved. Then cool in the fridge.
Add all of the above ingredients into a cocktail shaker, with 2 sprigs lavender and ice. Shake several times. Then strain the cocktail into a glass over one large ice cube. Garnish with lavender.
Apricot Blossom
From www.saveur.com
4 mint leaves, plus one sprig for garnish
1/4 ounce simple syrup
1 1/2 ounces brewed orange spice tea (like orange pekoe) chilled to room temperature
1 ounces medium-bodied rum
1/2 ounce apricot liqueur
1/2 ounce lemon juice
In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the mint leaves and simple syrup so the mint releases its oils. Fill the shaker with ice, add the remaining ingredients, and shake vigorously. Pour into a coupe or martini glass. Garnish with mint sprig.