Garden Drinks

My favorite season is Fall Teas Season. I wait all year for TeBella Tea Company to bring back Apple Cider Chai — it’s the rich spiciness of Masala Chai paired with apple and bright orange zest. I LOVE IT. It also makes one hell of a simple syrup, and works just as well with gin and tequila as it does bourbon. This Apple Cider Chai Old Fashioned is equal parts cozy and sophisticated. Like Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail. Recipe: *Apple Cider Chai Syrup 2tbsp Apple Cider Chai loose tea 2tsbp raw honey 6oz water Steep the tea and honey together for 3 min. Stir before straining. 2oz bourbon .75 oz apple cider chai syrup* 3 dashes orange bitters 1 orange wedge Orange zest and cinnamon stick to garnish In a mixing glass, add the orange wedge, syrup, bitters, and bourbon. Give it a stir, then add plenty of ice. Stir with the ice to chill, about 30 seconds. In a glass, strain the drink over ice. Garnish with orange zest and a cinnamon stick. The cinnamon stick will lightly infuse the drink over time, I love it.

My boyfriend dubbed this drink The Citrus Queen: 2oz Roku gin 3/4 oz Italicus 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice 1/2 oz Cointreau 1/2 oz orange blossom honey 3 dashes lavender bitters 3 large mint leaves Lemon zest garnish Add honey and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker, stir until honey dissolves. Add mint leaves and muddle, then add gin, Italicus, Cointreau, lavender bitters and ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled coupe glass. Finish off with expressed lemon zest. OR if you want a lighter drink, add to a Collins glass and top with club soda. I tried it both ways and loved it. It really just depends on what you’re craving in the moment.

While I love creating cocktail recipes, tea is my first love. In fact, experimenting with tea-infused cocktails is what got me interested in home mixology. Darjeeling has always been my perfect tea, and after working for a tea company for nearly a decade, it remains my undisputed favorite. I’m very excited to share this drink recipe with you all!

Strain the infused tequila straight into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add the lime juice, nectarine juice, and @cointreau. Shake until nice and icy, then strain into an ice-filled glass. https://www.instagram.com/p/CitdmWbMRjl/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=