It’s patio season! Or grilling season! The two go hand-in-hand, but you need something to cool you down with. Iced tea and lemonade are classic summer drinks, but how about the two together? So an Arnold Palmer? Yes, sort of, but with an alcoholic twist. So a John Daly? Somewhat, but instead we’re using gin instead of vodka.
This is a refreshing summertime drink with lots of aromatics and floral notes. The few slices of ginger give it a bit of heat and ginger lemon tea is a tried, tested and true combination.
Lemon Verbena Tea Martini
Yields: 1 cocktail
Photos and recipe testing by: Brenda
Ingredients
Lemon Verbena Tea Martini
- 2 oz unsweetened Pure Leaf iced tea, chilled
- 1 ½ oz gin
- ¼ oz Lillet
- ¼ oz Lemon Verbena syrup
- 3-4 ice cubes
Lemon Verbena Syrup
- 4 oz water
- 4 oz sugar
- 2 cups loosely packed lemon verbena leaves
- a few slices of ginger
Notes for success
- The Lemon Verbena Syrup can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for several months. It makes a nice sweetener for hot tea or iced tea.
- Use a premium London gin, preferably one that was made with tea incorporated into the botanical mix.
Method
Lemon Verbena Tea Martini
- Step 1
- Place the iced tea, gin, Lillet and Lemon Verbena Syrup into a tall cocktail mixing glass. Add the ice and stir the ingredients together until they are incorporated and chilled, ~10 seconds.
- Pour the cocktail (along with the ice) into a glass and serve immediately
Lemon Verbena Syrup
- Place the water, sugar, ginger and lemon verbena leaves into a medium pot.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat and allow it to simmer for 15-20 minutes.
- Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Strain out the ginger and tea leaves. Store the syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
