I don't know about everyone else, but I am not ready for summer to be over and it's not! Everyone's planning ahead and I get that, especially from an editorial and marketing standpoint - you have to get stuff out ahead of time. And, it is the middle of August and kids are returning to school, which is the mark of autumn's return, but quite honestly I'm not ready to think about fall yet. When I came across a post on the Webtender forum today from an individual seeking fall cocktail suggestions because they're tired of Mojitos and are ready to make the seasonal switch two thoughts came to mind: 1) there are far more cocktail options for summer beyond that drink and 2) I'm still enjoying summer, don't push it!
This spurred a thought about one of the great drinks of all time, tea, and given the season, iced tea specifically. Tea is the drink that has spanned ages and many great mixed drinks are available to enhance your tea experience. It can be as simple as an Arnold Palmer or as (somewhat more) complex as a Dutch Green Tea. One thing you'll notice with tea recipes is that they are all relatively easy, just a few extra ingredients of one sort or another that merely adorn the tea base. This is the true beauty of the tea mixed drink.
However, tea in itself is a complicated subject. There are many 'teas' that are not technically teas - herbal teas, or tisanes, come to mind - and many types of tea to choose from. Without going into what could be a novel of explanation here, check out Lindsey Goodwin's Coffee and Tea on About.com site, specifically the Tea Drink Variations and this primer on Iced Tea Cocktail Recipes. With a little education and some experimentation I can almost guarantee that you will have a whole new appreciation for iced tea.
And, with that here are some favorite last of summer iced tea cocktails for you to enjoy...
- Irish Tea Party - Of course, there's some Irish whiskey here, but did you expect absinthe?
- Sparkling Tea Cocktail - A pitcher full of Wild Turkey and tea topped with soda. Follow the hibiscus tea recommendation and you will fall in love with it.
- Bee Tea - This sweetened iced tea uses the honey-based Barenjager liqueur and is nice for the looming seasonal transition.
- Mad Hatter's Tea Party - A lovely drink that infuses tea into Flor de Cana Rum which can be saved for other rum cocktails.
No comments:
Post a Comment