Could your holiday menu use a new twist? If your Christmas meal strongly resembles your Thanksgiving table, we’ve got a few suggestions to make this holiday season stand out. Check out these cocktails made with tea. Whether you are entertaining a huge family or keeping your celebration cozy, there are recipes to suit everyone’s tastes that can be adjusted easily for groups of any size.
Ciders Made with Tea
There’s nothing like a twist on a classic. For a new holiday favorite, try this hot cider made with Darjeeling tea. Try it with our Rohini Spring Magic for a light and crisp flavor or our 2nd Flush Margaret’s Hope Estate Darjeeling for a bolder taste. This recipe is easily a crowd pleaser when made with the champagne of teas.
The holidays wouldn’t be the same without citrus. How can you add it to a cider? Our Orange Spice Tea Cocktail contains our orange spice special tea blend, as well as apple cider, for a drink sure to stir memories for every the pickiest guests.
Tea Cocktails and Toddies
The weather outside may be frightful, but you can stay inside and shake up this New Year’s Eve celebration with a delightfully sweet and cool Cherry Blossom Cocktail.
Cherry Blossom
- 12 ice cubes
- 3 oz. strongly brewed Cherry Blossom Green Tea, chilled
- 1 c. pomegranate juice, chilled
- 3 oz. gin
- 1 T. amaretto
- Maraschino cherries, lemon or orange wedges for garnish, on skewer or pick
Put 4 of the ice cubes, the green tea, pomegranate juice, gin and amaretto into a cocktail shaker and shake for 1 minute. Divide remaining ice cubes between 2 glasses. Strain cocktail into glasses, garnish with fruit.
Or, if gin is not to your taste, cozy up by the fire with an Earl Grey hot toddy in hand.
Captain Grey
- 4 oz. piping hot Earl Grey tea
- 1.5 oz. Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
- 0.25 oz. fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp. organic honey
Pre-warm a cognac glass with warm to hot water. Steep Earl Grey tea for 3-5 minutes in a mug with water just off the boil. Empty cognac glass, then add tea, rum, lemon juice and honey. Gently stir and garnish with a lemon wheel. This recipe comes from goodspiritsnews.wordpress.com.
Try one or two of these to stir up your holiday season. They go great as appetizers, with family board game time, or with toasty, warm slippers in front of a crackling fireplace. Now is your time to enjoy the best of the season!
