TEA COCKTAILS
photos by Julian Landa
Afternoon Tea | Tea Cuisine | Testimonials
Please join us at Swan's located in our Grand Lobby to enjoy one of our seasonal signature tea cocktails, or if you would prefer to enjoy at home...
JASMINE TEA & BRANDIED FRUIT SANGRIA
Any combination of fruit will work well in this sangria. Try equal parts thinly sliced oranges, apples, pears, plums, and peaches-or whatever combination you have handy. Ideally you want to give the fruit a day in the brandy, but 20 minutes will do in a pinch. Leave the fruit to macerate in the brandy while the tea cools. The fruit and brandy may be left for up to a week, so if you expect to make another batch soon, cut and soak extra now. This sangria will hold well refrigerated for 3 or 4 days. Serves 8.
Ingredients:
2 cups thinly sliced fruit (any combination of oranges, apples, peaches, plums or pears)
1 cup brandy, plus more as needed
1/4 cup loose-leaf jasmine tea leaves
6 cups steaming water (about 175°F)
1 (750-ml) bottle Riesling, chilled
2 tablespoons simple syrup or sweetener as needed
Place the sliced fruit in a nonreactive container and completely cover with the brandy. Let sit for at least 20 minutes, or ideally overnight. Place the tea leaves in a large pitcher. Add the steaming water and steep, covered, for 2 minutes. Strain, discarding the leaves and returning the tea liquid to the container, and let cool completely. Add the chilled Riesling, brandied fruit, and simple syrup. Taste and add additional simple syrup and the brandy from the macerated fruit to taste. Serve over ice garnished with an orange slice.
SPICED APPLE MAR-TEA-NI
Infused Vodka:
12 quarter sized slices of fresh ginger
6 dried pear halves, roughly cut
1 T whole clove
1/3 cup of whole leaf black tea
1 liter of vodka
Place 1 liter of vodka in non-reactive container. Add ginger slices, cloves and roughly chopped dried pear. Let steep at room temperature 20 minutes then add 1/3 cup of whole leaf black tea, preferably a good Ceylon or Chinese Congou. Taste periodically until proper strength is achieved. Probably around 30 minutes after the tea was added. Strain multiple times through cheesecloth or coffee filters until completely clear. Store at room temperature.
Drink Recipe:
4 parts Infused Vodka
1 part Apple Schnapps or other Apple liquor
Splash of Cointreu or Gran Marnier
In cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake 4 parts infused vodka with 1 part Apple Schnapps and a splash of Gran Marnier. Strain into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lemon.
KEEMUN CREAM
This rich tea cocktail is more earthy and complex and has more depth than the straight Irish Cream.
Ingredients:
1 part Keemun infused vodka
1 part Bailey's Irish Cream
whipped cream for garnish
Blend with ice equal parts of Keemun Tea infused vodka and
Bailey's Irish Cream Liquor.
Garnish with whipped cream that has been whipped to a light
Chantilly cream and spiced with a hint of cinnamon and clove.
Infused Vodka:
1 liter Grey Goose French vodka
1 t whole clove
1 t cracked black pepper
1/3 cup of Keemun Hao Ya A tea
Place 1 liter of vodka in non-reactive container. Add cloves and 1/3 cup of whole leaf black tea, preferably a good quality Chinese Keemun like a Hao Ya A. If that tea is not available, you can substitute with another full bodied rich whole leaf black tea such as a good Nilgiri or Assam. Taste periodically until proper strength is achieved. Probably around 45 minutes to an hour. Strain multiple times through cheesecloth or coffee filters until completely clear. Store at room temperature.
