Browsed by
Category: Cocktails

Lavender & Mint Infused Iced Tea

Lavender & Mint Infused Iced Tea

Comments 2 comments

Both Lavender and Mint are wonderfully  fragrant on their own. Combined, that heavenly fragrance is even better! Both grow in full abundance this time of year and I like to get creative with how to use these prolific herbs. I recently created “floral” arrangements with these beauties and they were magnificent.

Lavender + Mint are also a great combo in iced tea. I like making big batches of it and keeping it chilled in the fridge for hot summer days. A refreshing, clean, and aromatic thirst-quenching delight!

Keep in mind, you need a small amount of lavender, you don’t want your beverage to taste like potpourri. You can adjust the amount of mint and lemon to your preference. Personally, I LOVE mint and lemon so I don’t hold back- but experiment and find the balance you enjoy best.

Ingredients:
6 Sadaf Cardamom black tea bags (or any Earl Grey Tea)
18-20 cups of water, boiled
3 lemons
A big handful of fresh mint (approximately 2 cups)
5 fresh lavender sprigs, removed from the stem and thoroughly washed
1/2 cup sugar (this is a lightly sweetened recipe, increase sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter)

Directions:
Boil water and pour in a large bowl.
Dip tea bags in hot water a few times, then leave to seep in the bowl.
Add sugar and mix until dissolved.
Add lavender.
Slap mint in your palms to release the natural oils and add to tea mixture.
Squeeze the juice of 2 lemons into mixture (adjust to taste).
Slice remaining lemon, add to tea and mix all ingredients.
Let sit for 30-60 minutes, allowing the aromatics to infuse the tea.
The kitchen will smell amazing at this point!

Once cooled, refrigerate and serve with ice and garnish with a lemon slice and more mint (optional).
Enjoy!

Fresh Lime Margaritas

Fresh Lime Margaritas

Comments 2 comments

Who doesn’t love a citrusy fresh margarita! A natural addition to our Mexican themed celebration but also a fun drink to make all summer long for those hot weekend afternoons to enjoy with chips and dip and friends.

Skip the high sugar content margarita mixes and make this fresh version at home. You can either use agave nectar, honey or make a simple syrup in minutes. I usually use agave nectar, but since this was a celebration we indulged a bit by using sugar. No biggie, everything in moderation! Just combine 1/2 cup sugar in 1 cup water in a saucepan and cook on medium heat until sugar dissolves. It only takes a few minutes.

¡Salud!

 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups tequila (I absolutely love Maestro Dobel Silver, it is exceptionally smooth!)
2 cups lime juice
*Note- this recipe can be made with any other citrus juice such as orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, blood orange (which is super pretty!)
2/3 cup simple syrup (after it’s cooled).
Tons of ice.

Directions:
Place all ingredients in a pitcher with lots of ice and mix.
Adjust to taste, if you like it a bit sweeter, add more simple syrup.
If you prefer to use agave nectar or honey, use a cocktail shaker to mix for better results.
Run a wedge of lime across the top of cocktail glasses. Then dip in a plate of salt to salt the rims of your glass (optional).
Pour into cocktail glasses and top with a splash of sparkling soda (optional).
This recipe makes approximately 4 servings, double up if you’re entertaining.
*Note- You can reduce the amount of tequila if you prefer less alcohol. Just have fun with it!

 

Garden Goddess Cocktail

Garden Goddess Cocktail

Comments 0 Comment

Fresh herbs from my garden often inspire tasty dishes that also look beautiful and this light and lovely cocktail is no exception. It’s light and you can adjust the alcohol to your preference. It also makes a nice non-alcoholic beverage.

Ingredients:
Gin
St. Germain Elderflower Liqour
Unsweetened iced tea
Lemon juice
Thyme
Mint

Directions:
In a cocktail shaker add:
1 part gin to 1 part elderflower liqour
3 parts iced tea
1 part gin
A spring of thyme (slap the time in your palm to release the natural oils).
6-8 mint leaves
1 teaspoon of lemon juice
Shake well with ice and pour in glass
Garnish with more fresh thyme.

Enjoy!