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TEA COCKTAILS Get
tipsy on TEA
Add dollops of flavour and spice
to your cocktails with a dash of your favourite tea
Mixologists
and bartenders the world over have found a new muse in tea and are pushing
the idea of mixing it with alcohol to create innovative cocktail menus. The
number of cocktails that feature tea as a mixer is growing, which is a
testament to the fact that consumers are moving away from regular cocktails
and looking for sensational combinations. And tea fits the bill because of
the various options available in the market – black, green, white and
oolong teas, not to mention herbal varieties and exotic blends… From Green
Tea Mojito to Black Tea Bourbon, the combinations are endless!
Why it’s a hit: Restaurants and bars are opting for tea because it’s
easy to use in drinks, very refreshing in taste and can give dramatic
results. It
TEA TRIVIA
Using tea in cocktails is a method that has been used for a very long
time. During the British Empire era and the spice trading boom, people
added tea to a beverage favourite known as punch. They found that tea added
depth to the concoction, by giving it an herbaceous or sweet quality, which
often brings out the definition of the drink or flavours that are already
there.
brings to the cocktail a whole new flavour especially when mixed with a
variety of other ingredients like spices. Tea has a smokey bitterness which
balances a drink, and is a great way to get a lot of flavour into a punch
while diluting the booziness. It is mainly used as a flavouring ingredient
that sits in the background with the purpose of enhancing the other
ingredients. Some bartenders infuse it into the base spirit, while others
brew and chill the tea and then add it to the shaker.
A few cocktail recipes and a range of unique blends
of teas, herbs, and spices – that’s all you need to make any hour of your
day a happy hour!
Inputs by Chef Tanu Narang Moghe
Make your own tea cocktail at
home
Tea cocktails can easily be made at home by brewing
the tea or simply infusing the tea bag in the liquor. For example, you can
choose your regular tea, a fruity tea, a floral tea or a spiced tea,
depending on what kind of cocktail you plan to make. The best way to
prepare tea for a cocktail is to brew the tea: making it warm is the
easiest way to get the full flavour from the herbs and botanicals. While
serving, add a tray of fruits such as lemon wedges, orange slices, cherries
along with the cocktail. Not only do these garnishes add colour to the
drink, they also add more flavour.
Tip: However, it is important to chill the tea before adding
it to these cocktails. A simple way to do so is to pour the freshly brewed
tea into a glass or a pitcher and place that into the freezer for a few
minutes. Once chilled, this tea can be mixed with brandy, whiskey, vodka,
tequila or rum along with other ingredients like herbs, spices and mixers.
Also, tea is very sensitive. The longer you steep it, the more bitter it gets.
So be careful.
CHAMOMILE TEQUILA SOUR
INGREDIENTS: For the Chamomile syrup: 4 Chamomile tea bags; 1 cup
sugar; 1 cup water. For the cocktails: 1/2 cup Kosher salt; 1 lime
wedge; 30 ml fresh lime juice (or from about 2 limes); 50 ml tequila, 45 ml
Chamomile syrup.
METHOD:
> To make the syrup: Combine water and sugar in a small saucepan over high
heat. Stir to dissolve the sugar and bring to a boil. Immediately remove
from heat and add the Chamomile tea bags. Steep for 30 minutes then remove
the tea. Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.
> To make the cocktail: Place the salt in a small, shallow plate in an even
layer. Moisten the rim of a coupe glass by running a lime wedge around the
rim. Dip glass into salt and set aside. Combine lime juice, tequila, and
Chamomile syrup in a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice. Shake until well
chilled, about 15 seconds. Strain into the saltrimmed coupe glass and
serve.
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